Overdose
by Rice Buny
Summary: His better judgment warns him that drinking this purple syrup is going to leave him sicker than before, but the aching throat and pulsing head causes him to swallow the lilac medicine. Pneumonia is really going to tear Lelouch's schedule apart. Doesn't help that Milly intends on continuing her tormenting activities.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer, I own nothing of Code Geass

* * *

C.C. smirks as Lelouch downs the bottle of coughing syrup. At first, he just estimated, by literally taking a swig of the bitter medicine. And another. By now, he's muttering incoherent words under his breath, and unable to walk in a straight line. Okay, maybe it would've been smarter of her to make sure that he took an appropriate amount, but this is much too amusing for C.C. to just stop her source of entertainment. Honestly, she thought Lelouch would've been smarter, would've at least known to not drain a whole bottle of the disgusting, lilac colored syrup. But apparently not, because he did.

Of course, this is around the third day he's been hacking out his lungs, often sneezing and found collapsing against the wall for support.

Of course, maybe it's the pain that caused him to. After all, he wouldn't stop coughing, and ended up retching bile that thunks against the bottom of his metal wastebin. "Ah..." Lelouch collapses onto his bed, and C.C. automatically leaps out of the way to avoid his body. She lands on the end of the bed. Then, to both her amusement and irritation, he curls into a fetal position, cuddling Cheese-kun in his arms. How adorable. However, C.C. cannot forgive this.

"That's mine." C.C. exclaims in her monotone voice, ripping her orange blob out of his grasp, before whacking it across his face. He doesn't verbally react, but rather, draws his knees up to his chest, before hugging his knees. C.C. sighs. "You know that you cannot just stay here. It's just a common cold. Or you could stay here, your fellow classmates will be quite used to seeing you off. Of course, it'll be quite weird, as Rivalz would be still here, and they'll assume that you went gambling without him." C.C. recommends. Lelouch doesn't respond. He blearily sits upright, and C.C. stares back into his dilated red eye, his other purple eye narrowed into a glare. Now, the look of a madman. How interesting.

"Of course, school," Lelouch staggers onto his feet.

"Your Geass will be revealed if you go outside. You'll most likely have less control over your powers if you're in a weakened state." C.C. proposes her idea, crossing her legs on his bed, with her orange stuffed creature sitting within her lap. "I would stay." Lelouch laughs in his usual husky tone.

"Oh, I'll be fine," Lelouch reassures, his knees locking, and he collapses against his door. "It's just a common cold." He mutters, his voice muffled against the wooden door. "Bye!" Lelouch chirrups, swinging the door open. When was the last time he ever said goodbye in such a cheerful manner? C.C. inclines her head, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. Ah, well, if he ends up doing something humiliating, she's pretty sure she'll live.

* * *

"Lelouch?" Nunnally's scornful tone shakes him out of his gaze. He blearily looks over at his younger sister, who's delicately folding her paper cranes. "You're late, you know, you should wake up earlier." Nunnally chides, creasing a purple paper square. Actually, he did. It's just the throbbing in his head basically removed any desire of him to actually exit out from under his bed sheets. As Lelouch doesn't answer, Nunnally frowns, sliding an orchid paper crane to the side. "Lelouch?"

"Huh?" Lelouch croaks in a response. He's unable to focus upon his younger sister, as the dull pulses that pound against his head begins to increase its pain. Perhaps he should take more medicine? Lelouch's throat has yet to recover, the burning sensation still coating the back of his throat, causing tremendous pain to force out his words. His vision is starting to become inconsistent, as the colors bleed together as his whole image in front of his eyes swirl together if he stares.

"Are you paying attention?" Nunnally asks.

"Yeah," Then, suddenly, a churning feeling in his stomach causes Lelouch to sit up from the table, slamming the palms of his hands against the wooden table.

"Lelouch!"

However, this said person is unable to respond to the younger female, as he tries to reach the waste basket in time. He opens his mouth to reassure Nunnally, only, rather than the jumble of words that he wants to say, a lump that formed in his throat spews out of his mouth, the bile coating the mahogany floorboards. Lelouch's knees buckle, and he collapses onto his legs, upchucking his dinner from the previous night. His respires and inhales come out in wheezes and heavy pants, as his lungs painfully inflate and deflate repeatedly, trying to get enough air, only to give him a lightheaded sensation.

"Lelouch, what's going on?" The cries of alarm from his sister fade into the background, as his focus is now fully fixated onto the throbs that causes his heads to contract in pain. The back of his throat is inflamed from the vomit that brushed against the already sensitive throat, so he's unable to talk without causing pain for each word. Suddenly, a cold hand circles on his back. Lelouch quickly heaves himself onto his feet, whipping around and slapping the hand away, his back smacking against a wall, before he slides down the wall. Sayako's concern features enters his dimming vision. He clutches his lightheaded skull. His whole body is quivering as warning signals are deciphered in his brain, before it shuts down, darkness engulfing his vision.

* * *

"He probably went gambling off without me," Rivalz groans. He slams his forehead against the polished table the student council is seated around, his blue hair splaying out across his head like a fan. "He did say that he's going off gambling and I shouldn't come." Rivalz emits a sound between a groan and a wail, muffled by the rich oak wood table underneath him. Milly scoffs at Rivalz's complaints about his insignificant problems.

"Really, shut up," Milly snaps. Rivalz continues to moan aloud. "He probably went off gambling like you said, I just wish he'd commit more." Milly grumbles. "There has to be a way to teach him a lesson." He might be the thought to be dead prince of Britannia, but that doesn't mean he can do things without expecting consequences. A smile breaks across her face. "You know what?" Milly rushes over to the speaker located in the room.

 _"Attention students!"_ Milly taps her microphone, and to her pleasure, no feedback. She watches as hundreds of faces dotted across Ashford Academy's lawn turn up to the speakers located across the school. _"So, you know our little delinquent, Lelouch Lamperouge, I think it's time to teach him a lesson of just leaving. Anyone who can find this boy will get a kiss from anyone on the student council!"_ Milly beams at the hundreds of cries and cheers, muted by the distance between her and the students.

"Oh, did you have to do that?" Shirley mutters.

"Aw? Are you jealous that they'll kiss your precious Lelouch? I mean, after all, he is quite the ladies' man." Milly smirks as Shirley's fair skin tone flushes into an adorable scarlet. Oh, how she loves to torment her friends.

"Wait? So that means we can join in too?" Rivalz automatically perks up, his head snapping up from the table. "So...we can earn a kiss from anyone, that's right?" Rivalz concludes. Milly nods, unsure of the idea planted in his head that can make him so eager about this. "Bye!" Rivalz rushes out of the room, knocking a stack of files off the table.

Milly's smirk widens at a thought. "You know," she rounds to Shirley, staring after Rivalz, the blush fading from her face. "I'm surprised you haven't joined. I mean, then you can get a kiss from your Dear Lulu." Milly chirps, and to her satisfaction, the crimson color reignites among her face. Shirley glowers at her, humiliation contorting her features, and yet, to Milly's amusement, she leaves the room, leaving just four other people in this room.

"You're not going to join?" Milly questions Suzaku. Of course Nina wouldn't, she'll just continue to work on her computer. He turns to her, slightly startled.

"Of course not. I mean, I know for a fact that if Lelouch chooses to hide, it'll take quite the mastermind to find one of his hiding places. Of course, he's not quite a runner so..." Suzaku's sinister grin matches Milly's.

"And Kallen? You have nothing for Lelouch?" Kallen turns her glimmering sapphire eyes to her.

"Oh, uh, no," Kallen mutters meekly.

* * *

Kallen has to resist laughing bitterly at Milly's question. As if she'd fancy searching for a Britannian. Of course, these people...they're not as bad, admittedly. Of course, she tries to detest them, yet, something about them literally draws a real laugh out from her parted lips. Okay. So perhaps they're not as bad as the rest of the Britannian vermin. Even Suzaku, that traitor, who claims himself as Japanese, is kind to her, but that might be because she's supposedly a Britannian.

"Where is Lelouch?" Milly murmurs. Oh, so now Milly actually considers the missing boy. Stupid Britannian. Kallen has to ignore the nagging temptation of rolling her eyes. She whips a small device out of her back skirt pocket, punching in digits. She then holds the cellphone up to her ear. "Lelouch?" Milly hisses. To Kallen's curiosity, Milly's devious expression transforms into horror. "Seriously? You were the reason why the ambulance came?" Milly gasps. Kallen's eyebrows raise at Milly's concern statement. She recalls a white van driving up to the school, sending out an alarm. However, about everyone was in class, and couldn't see whoever was helped out of the building and onto the stretcher. Was that Lelouch? "I'll be there right now!" Milly jams her device back into her pocket. Kallen and Suzaku's eyes clap with one another, before averting quickly.

"Wait, ambulance? Lelouch was sent on that?" Suzaku blurts out Kallen's theory.

"Is he okay?" Nina quietly mutters. Kallen stays silent, waiting for Milly to answer. Milly turns her ashen face to them.

"Yeah, he's fine. He's suffering from the lack of sleep apparently and pneumonia. He said he's fine, but honestly, I can't tell his lies from reality anymore." Milly grimaces. she slings her purse hand across her shoulder. "He also said that he overdosed on coughing medicine, but honestly, I don't think that Lelouch is that stupid."

"Where are you going?" Kallen says.

"The hospital," Milly proclaims.

"Wait, aren't you going to tell everyone that Lelouch is sick?" Suzaku stammers. Milly just smiles wolfishly.

"Why should I?"

* * *

Milly is unable to shake off the three people following her. Suzaku insisted, claiming that Lelouch is his best friend, and Milly guesses that's a valid reason. Besides, the more the merrier! Kallen also politely asked if she can trail along, and so did Nina, and Milly, planning to continue torment Kallen about her larger chest if she does come, allows both of them to follow along. "Hey, Prez?" Milly halts, her low heels sinking deep in the moist soil and grass. "Where are you guys going?" Shirley questions.

"To see Lelouch in the hospital," Milly answers quickly, as she continues to stomp across the lawn, leaving Shirley dumbfounded.

"Wait? What?" Shirley squawks, running to keep up with Milly. "What do you mean?" Milly inwardly snickers, as she refuses to answer any of Shirley's worried questions. After all, she can still continue to torture her fellow staff anyways. "Shouldn't we tell Nunnally?"

"I'm guessing Nunnally already knows, after all, she's Lelouch's brother." Suzaku muses. "And besides, none of us seen Nunnally, right?" All of them murmur in agreement with Suzaku's statement. "Wait." Suzaku blinks. "How are we going to get to the hospital?" Leaving all of them stopping. Ah, crap.

* * *

So yeah. New story. I hope I do not lose motivation in this.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own any of Code Geass's characters.

* * *

Sayako continues to glare at the incoming nurses. She's used to being her Master and Mistress's caretaker, and she can't help but feel slightly stolen from her position, as they kindly told her to stand aside, beaming at her with their fake, practiced smiles used to hide the seriousness of the situation from her. However, those smiles are put to waste, as she's basically in the same room with Master Lelouch, and she can clearly see his condition from here. Nunnally however, was told to be removed from the room and is currently outside in the waiting room, as her wheelchair takes up too much space in this cramped room.

A familiar groan she normally hears each morning when the boy pulls himself out of bed, causes Sayako's head to snap up, alerted from such a small, supposedly insignificant noise. Yet, this supposedly minor sound informs Sayako that her Master is stirring, and could be awaken from a couple shouts, as she tested this out every morning.

"Nun-" Sayako quickly skirts around two mumbling nurses, and to the side of her Master's bed, leaning against the railing to prevent the patient from falling off the elevated bed. Lelouch's amethyst orbs slowly open, his eyelids obscuring the top half of his eyes due to heaviness, probably from the medicine he's forced to take. His unfocused eyes slowly rises, clapping with Sayako's. "Where is she?" He rasps, his breath clouding the plastic breathing mask snapped around his mouth.

"The Mistress is currently in the waiting room," Sayako refuses to allow a hint of emotion, especially her relief in the Master, to be infused with her words. After all, then, the Master will certainly not let her hear the end of it if he does end up remembering or noticing this through his possibly drugged state. He did admit on the way here when he regained consciousness about chugging down a bottle of medicine. She grimaces at that thought, what a stupid action that her Master actually considered, and done.

"I want this thing off," Lelouch's drowsy, slurred tone becomes firmer and whinier. "I don't like it," Lelouch gripes. Then, with his pale, slightly trembling fingers, he reaches up, digging his fingers into the mask attached around his face, and yanks it down.

"Oh, you shouldn't do that," A doctor chides, gently trying to replace the mask, and Sayako smirks smugly, as her Master jerks his head to the side. The doctor's face contorts into a frown. "This is good for you, I know it's uncomfortable, but you have to have this on," The doctor sighs scornfully, wrinkles furrowing above his brow, below his bald scalp. The tone he uses sounds as though he's scolding a small child who's been caught acting naughty. Lelouch might conduct mischievous actions along with nasty deeds, but his arrogant attitude and appearance always implies that he expects to be treated as an adult, and no younger.

"I'm fine," Lelouch snaps harshly, slanting his orchid eyes. "I can breathe fine now, thank you for treating me earlier, though," Lelouch exclaims passively, yet his words are clipped from irritation. Sayako ignores the other startled gazes from the nurses, probably wondering if Lelouch is just normally rude. Only if bothered.

* * *

"What are you guys doing?" Rivalz wonders aloud, watching uncomfortably as his friends continue to shout, waving their hands frantically, flailing their arms on the sidewalk. After failing to find Lelouch, he began to search for his other friends joined in on the student council. Right now, he's unsure whether or not he wants to be seen with them, no matter how popular Shirley and Milly are. After all, right now, they look like lunatics. Then again, they often complained about how they put up with him.

"I don't know," Kallen murmurs, standing off to the side with Nina, watching their other two friends wave nonstop at the darting traffic.

"Waving for a taxi!" Shirley replies, her eyes still fixated on the cars skidding by them on the road, often causing their skirts to billow upwards, knotting their hair in the wind as they pass by in an impressive speed. Maybe they're used to this and don't bother anymore. However, one car did end up slowing, and judging by the window sliding down revealing a leering face, Rivalz automatically shouted obscene words at him, telling him to move on. After all, there are three girls in miniskirts standing alone by on the pavement, it's doubt to attract some unwanted attention.

"Why'd you do that?" Milly groans, causing Rivalz to recoil from shock. "He could've picked us up and drive us to the hospital!" Rivalz stares dryly at the animated blonde. She's probably just joking, but really? Rivalz then comes to realize how he still doesn't know why they're waving for a taxi, other than that Milly wants to go to the hospital, from their previous one-sided conversation.

Rivalz decides to voice out his question by now. "Why do you guys want to go to the hospital?" Rivalz asks curiously.

"To find Lelouch!" Milly then bellows right after her short answer: "TAXI!"

* * *

Nunnally twists her hands together, forcing her thumb on top of the fingers of the same hand, cracking her knuckles individually. After being politely ushered out of her brother's room, she's just sitting there, alone, unsure of who's next to her and all that. She hears a door slam open to the left of her. What a tempered fellow. Then, she perks up, her spine straightening as she hears very familiar voices and shouts, no doubt attracting attention to whoever else is near this source of noise. "Nunnally!" Nunnally smiles in her usual bubbly manner, twisting her head to the general direction of the sound. She feels a gentle entity lay on her knee, and she folds her tiny hands around it. The hand is calloused, implying the effort put into making objects, yet the fingers are slender and the nails at are clean and neat. "Milly!" Nunnally labels, hugging the hand.

"Nunnally! Is Lelouch here!" Okay, so maybe Nunnally can't help feeling slightly bitter about that her first greeting from her longtime friend is to see her older brother, yet, she can relate with the same concern.

"Yeah," Nunnally murmurs glumly, feeling her smile faltering. "He's here."

"Nunnally," A kind, refreshing, hushed voice greets the blind girl.

"Kallen!" Nunnally responds enthusiastically.

"Wait, you guys haven't told me anything in that taxi ride!" A loud, out of breath voice gripes accusingly.

"Shut up you two are attracting attention!" A feminine, lower octave voice than Milly's complains, her voice strained and hushed. "People are staring!" Nunnally's smile returns, quite happy that she's unable to see the annoyed or curious glances or glares, yet, she continues to hope for eyesight, even if it means seeing all those horrible things.

Footsteps approach Nunnally, and Nunnally is sure to widen her smile, to show her appreciation. "You still have to tell me why Lelouch is in the hospital!" The only masculine voice grumbles. "Like, seriously. You shoved me into that car and basically kidnapped me."

"You agreed to come!" Milly's voice scowls scornfully. "Now," the voice returns, dropping the adopted, chiding tone and returning to her usually bossy timbre. "Nunnally, how are you?"

"I'm okay, Sayako told me that Lelouch will be fine." Nunnally reassures, and if she's not wrong, she detects a relieved sigh, most likely escaped out of Shirley.

"So what happened?" Rivalz echoes his previous two similar questions. "Like seriously!"

"Apparently Big Brother wasn't feeling well, and according to Sayako, he drank a whole bottle of medicine, and it turned out he had pneumonia."

"Yeah we knew that. How could Lulu be so stupid!" Shirley scoffs.

"You knew and didn't tell me?" Rivalz's tone adopts his defensive voice, his volume increasing.

"Shut up!"

"Is Nina here?" Nunnally has yet to hear the timid, wistful tone of her female companion.

"Oh, yes, I'm here!"

"That's good," Nunnally informs them. "Lelouch will be glad for some company." Nunnally can almost imagine the devilish grins gracing Rivalz' and Milly's visages, the same smile often heard from their timbres or they give her the impression of it.

* * *

Shirley has to resist pacing in the open space of the waiting room, after all, other people are here. She averts her gaze with the woman, glowering at them over her magazine, with a toddler waddling around her legs, waving a plastic truck. Ah, if only Milly and Rivalz would just be quieter. "Can we see Lulu?" Shirley murmurs, careful to keep her volume at a minimum, directing her question at Nunnally.

"I...I suppose so, but I'm not allowed, because of my wheelchair, it takes up too much space," Nunnally answers, her smile slowly straightening into a simper.

"Nonsense!" Milly declares, standing upright despite that Nunnally is unable to see her movement. She stabs her pointer finger upwards in determination, and Shirley groans, rubbing the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes from shame from her nonplussed friend. Milly props her other hand on her hip. "We shall bring you along as well!" Milly proclaims, her voice even louder in volume, and Shirley has to match Nina's reaction, which is physically cringing.

Shirley sighs, lowering her head, her bangs on one side dangling in her vision as she did so. Finally, she stands upright, and slowly, lowers her friend back onto one knee. Milly seems unfazed, judging by the wolfish smirk that's still plastered above her chin and below her nose. "Let's just go," Shirley mumbles to Nina, who furiously agrees. Shirley approaches a receptionist's desk, that works for nurses as well. One smiling lady looks up and over the top of her clearly outdated computer, her eyelids crinkling from her wide, clearly calculated smile.

"May I help you?" Shirley wonders why they always use such a greeting. She mentally tells herself to ponder and delve deeper within that question.

"We're looking for Lelouch Lamperouge," Shirley chirrups, Nina shyly behind Shirley, and she doesn't mind.

"Are you family?" The lady asks, her eyes fixating upon her computer monitor, and Shirley's quite impressed by the female's fingers, as they basically dance across the keyboard.

"Well, we, Nunnally and I guess you could say Milly are." Shirley jerks her thumb behind them.

"They can go then, but I'm afraid the rest of you must stay here unless requested by the patient himself. If so, no more than five people in the room," The receptionist gives them her permission, and Shirley doubts that that'll keep Milly from dragging her, Nina, Kallen and Rivalz along with her and Nunnally, despite the family or five-people per room rule. "His room is the one down the right hall, room eighteen." The lady adds this crucial information.

"Thank you," Shirley smiles, but the lady doesn't even look up, her attention fully focused on whatever she's doing on her computer screen. Shirley refuses to roll her eyes, after all, the lady must just be busy. She whips around to her friends. "Okay, room eighteen people, and only five people in that room at a time," Shirley continues in her whispers.

"Psh!" Milly scoffs, not to Shirley's surprise. "Who cares about some stupid rule?" Shirley is quite aware of the dirty glare thrown from the lady she just talked to, clearly warning her to follow those terms. "Let's go!" Milly whoops, and Shirley hurriedly apologizes to no one in particular, mainly to everyone else in this room who has to witness this scene. Rivalz begins to push Nunnally's wheelchair down the carpeted hallway, muffling the squeaks from her wheels. "Here's room eighteen!" Milly squeals, who had taken up the lead, halting next to a plain door, similar to all its neighboring doors.

* * *

Honestly, Kallen is unsure whether or not she wants to cheer at the news of Lelouch becoming sick. After all, she's a slight believer in karma, and well, maybe this is Lelouch's payback for being such an asshat. Then again, yes, she admits that her friends are undeniably stupid, and they're Britannian, but, to her dismay, they're growing on her. Even Lelouch the Arrogant Slacker, especially his sweet, crippled sister. It's hard to hold such a grudge against Nunnally, she's probably one of her only exceptions.

Milly thrusts open the door, leaping into the room, the rest following. _"SURPRISE!"_ Milly squeals, and Kallen snorts at Lelouch, who basically retracted to the corner of his elevated bed, staring at Milly, clearly startled. Even the heart monitor beeps urgently before returning to normal pace. "LELOUCH!" Milly basically throws herself onto the ill boy, crushing him onto the hug, the bed railing separating them probably making this awkward for the both of them, as it's obviously digging into Milly's flat stomach.

"Buddy!" Rivalz claps Lelouch's back.

"Too many people!" A nurse snarls behind them, yet all of them ignores her plaintively.

"Lulu you had us all worried!" Shirley informs, relief edging into her tone.

"Big Brother, are you alright?"

"Hi Lelouch," Nina whispers. Kallen continues to say nothing, just watching the big smile break across his face.

"Ah, friends!" Kallen flinches at that, as Lelouch collapses onto the bed.

"He's slightly drugged," Sayako says from behind them. "I suggest seeing him when he has...ah, sobered up."

"Lelouch, has nobody taught you about drinking?" Milly jokingly chides, and to all of their surprise, Lelouch laughs along. Then again, Sayako did inform how his pea-sized brain is submerged in confusion. "Naughty boy!" Milly waggles a finger in his face.

"What made you think it was a good idea to drink a bottle of medicine?" Suzaku mutters. _Maybe it's because he's an idiotic Britannian_ , Kallen knots her lips at that thought, either to prevent a scowl or a laugh escaping, she's unsure. "The smartest person I know happens to also not know to not drink stuff like that," Suzaku grumbles. Really? Smartest? Kallen is quite conscious of his label as a slacker, she's sure the only reason why he continues to earn good grades is because of his close relationship with the Ashford family, even though all the teachers obviously dislike him expertly sleeping in class. Suzaku can't be serious, despite Lelouch's often sadistic, yet intelligent sounding words, Kallen cannot see him as anything other than a delinquent.

"You remind me of my mom." Kallen stifles a giggle as Suzaku physically winces, while Shirley and Rivalz chuckle and choke down a laugh. However, for once, Milly isn't smiling. Neither is Nunnally. Why isn't Milly laughing along? Kallen half expected Milly to start blackmailing Lelouch by videotaping him in such a state.

"Lelouch, you don't know what you're saying," Kallen automatically catches on to the hidden urgency beneath Nunnally's nonchalant tone. That's right, Lelouch doesn't have a mom, well, not to her knowledge at the least. Maybe it's just bringing back bad memories.

"Of course I do. Schneizel always said I do." Lelouch frowns.

"Schneizel?" Rivalz chokes. "Oh man, this guy is literally out of sorts here." Rivalz snickers. Kallen purses her lips at the name. Why would Lelouch say such a thing? And judging by Nunnally and Milly's looks, it's clear that Lelouch isn't just blurting out names here, what he's saying is actually causing them to stiffen, she can tell by their posture.

"I think you should go, Master needs to rest," Kallen jumps at Sayako's soothing yet firm voice.

"Okay!" Milly basically prances out. "Come on, let's go!" Kallen stares. Milly is the last person to say something like this, to end a party so early.

"What?" Apparently Shirley thought so too.

"Eh, bye Lelouch," Nina murmurs, before exiting the room.

"Maybe Milly needs to be the one sent to the hospital," Rivalz utters solemnly. He glances at Shirley and Kallen. "What? Okay, look, that was a good joke!" Kallen and Shirley sigh in unison.

* * *

Lelouch is unsure of why his friends don't visit him anymore. Yes, he might as well take the peace and quiet he usually yearns for now, but in quite honesty, it's boring without his gasket-blowing friends. Milly often comes and check up on him, however. And whenever he questions the absence of his friends, Milly always say something about him being drunk, and then she'd go into full detail him cracking a joke at Suzaku, and by then, Lelouch just can't take the rambling of his friend, and opts for her to remain silent and him in the dark, than to slug through her full detail of possibly a five-minute event. And then...there's the Black Knights he has to take care of.

"Lelouch?" Milly chirrups. Lelouch just sighs to acknowledge her words. "How come your eye glows red?" At that question, Lelouch nearly dropped his magazine.

"What do you mean?" Lelouch asks calmly. He recalls C.C. mentioning his Geass, yet, he thought he's well enough. After all, it's been three days. It's also been three days since Milly mentioned that he actually left the school, and that a bunch of fangirls and boys who want a kiss from the female staff of the student council are still hunting him down. He offhandedly flips the page of his puzzle magazine.

"Like...see, it's happening now!" Milly accuses.

"What?" Lelouch quickly cups his hand around his accursed eye, his other retina widening from panic. Using his hand to obscure his eye, he turns to Milly, and a sinking feeling brews in his stomach as Milly raises an eyebrow. This bastard. "My eye isn't glowing, isn't it?" Lelouch sighs, disgruntled at Milly's nasty trick. Milly nods slowly. "And you're not leaving until I give you an explanation, right?" Lelouch grumbles, ruffling his magazine, slightly infuriated by Milly's lie, yet, he has a feeling he would've done something along those lines in her situation.

"Well," Lelouch starts out slowly. Perhaps he can fake it as an eye infection. Yeah, if only if Milly had the same brain IQ as Rivalz, then he might be able to pull it off. Unfortunately, it's clearly Milly right here, and not his navy-haired friend. "If I look you in the eye with this, and I say something, you'll do it automatically." Lelouch explains. He slides his gaze from his puzzle to Milly, who crosses her arms across her chest, her other eyebrow cocked, indicating her rising suspicion. "I'm not kidding." Lelouch mutters.

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch rolls his eyes in annoyance from Milly's reality check, and he rounds to his friend. "I'm not kidding, I can literally tell you right now to tell everyone at our school my real identity and you'd do it," Lelouch scoffs, returning to his glossy print.

"W-why'd I do that?" Milly's voice is surprisingly breathy and choppy, as though guilty. Now, it's Lelouch's turn to become suspicious. She did not! Lelouch furiously sets down his paper, and turns to Milly, only to have his words jumble up in his throat. Because circling her irises, are two red familiar symbols. "That'd ruin you and Nunnally! And I-" Lelouch quickly staggers out of his bed, and begin to approach Milly, who retreats, like a wild animal that's about to bolt. Then, she straightens. "Yes, of course, your imperial family must be so happy to hear the news, I must tell everyone!" She mumbles in her monotone voice, leaving Lelouch dumbfounded as she dashes out of the door.

Oh.

 _Oh._

* * *

 _"Milly!"_ Lelouch bellows out the girl's christened name, chasing the blonde down the streets. She automatically halts, to his surprise, before waving. "Milly, forget what I said!" Lelouch rasps, as he coughs into the crook of his elbow.

"Our friends will be so excited to hear this!" Milly exclaims, unfazed by Lelouch's alarmed shouts. A concoction of horror and anger is giving Lelouch a migraine. Or it's because he basically ran after a girl for two miles straight. How did he live through this? Because Milly can't run fast with her heels, so technically, he's able to catch up with her quick after just walking for a couple minutes to catch his breath, bolting after the obeying girl.

"No! I cancel it! Reverse it! Don't do what I say!"

A taxi rolls up, and Lelouch has to resist himself from grabbing the girl back, as the taxi driver or any pedestrian might call the police. Milly slides in, and Lelouch quickly leaps in after the girl. "Ashford Academy, sir!" Milly directs.

"No, no, uh, please take us to...Shinjuku Ghetto!" Lelouch demands, slightly breathless.

"But don't you want to share the news with our fellow classmates? It's what you wanted!" Milly pouts, and for a moment, Lelouch hesitates, only to find out that the witch quickly blurts out: "Quickly, Ashford Academy!" Milly shrieks, and before Lelouch can protest or react, the taxi is already jostling down the busy road.

Lelouch is the first to exit the taxi, as he's sitting near the door that's facing the open gates of the school grounds, and because Milly hasn't completely lost her mind and put this 'gossip alert' as her first priority, as she actually pays the taxi driver. Okay, Lelouch has a feeling that Milly's going to try and reach the PDA first, so Lelouch begins to sprint across the school grounds, only to hear dozens of shrieks. Oh right. Milly's stupid game.

"Let me go!" Lelouch snarls as a girl basically tackles him, and surprisingly, he escapes her tight grasp, only to be ripped away by a football player, who continues to chatter about Milly's lips. Lelouch elbows the boy, which must've been a surprise, as Lelouch isn't the type for physical violence. However, his grip loosens enough for Lelouch to hit the ground running, towards the student council room. Suddenly, feedback causes Lelouch's hope and heart to sink, his eyes widening.

"Attention please!" Milly's pleasent, tinkling voice echoes out of the speakers planted around the school grounds. Lelouch feels bile gathering up in his throat. A girl slides up to him, and Lelouch takes off sprinting into the student council room.

"Nunnally!" Lelouch hisses, bursting into her room. Dread fills him. She's not there. Most likely in the student council meeting room, where...Milly is. Letting loose a string of curse words, he yanks out his phone, punching in the numbers angrily, desperately hoping that Milly will continue her dramatic flares and pause before announcing her news.

"I have some exciting news for you about Nunnally and Lelouch Lamperouge!"

"Hello?"

"Sayako!" Lelouch mutters into the phone. "Milly is going to tell everyone about who we actually are. No time to explain, get her out! I'll meet up with you below!" Lelouch breathes in heavily, and disconnects the call, despite hearing a reaction from his maid. He quickly mashes the button of the elevator. Sweat basically beads his forehead, and a polite _ding_ causes Lelouch to exhale, relieved. He leaps into the elevator, holding the door open in case if his maid and Nunnally appears. After all, it'll take a while for him to go completely underground, and for the elevator to go back up. There might not be enough time for Nunnally to reach below without students desperately trying to approach her.

"Nunnally and Lelouch are actually part of the Britannian family! Lelouch is the exiled eleventh prince of Britannia. Their actual last names are vi Briannia!" Milly chirrups. The distant shouts and murmurs from outside silences. Nunnally and Sayako appear in sight, and Lelouch gestures for them to hurry. The moment they enter the elevator, and the doors close, is Lelouch able to exhale the breath he was holding in, despite the shouts and screams that erupt from outside, growing distant and fading as the elevator takes them down to the hidden tunnels below the school.

* * *

I might redo that ending, though. :3 It seems kind of cliche to me, but eh, I'll take it.


	3. Chapter 3

Yeah, so I guess I am continuing with this story, considering that I sort of left off on a cliff hanger.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass nor any of their characters. (Why do I use 'their'? Is that correct?)

* * *

"Well, I suppose it's better than being revealed as Zero." Lelouch doesn't even have the will to glare at C.C., has he normally would've. "I mean, sure, your father would look for you everywhere now that it's revealed you're stuck in Area Eleven, but, hey, it could be worse," Now, Lelouch's gaze that was once fixated on the floor of the hidden room swivels up to C.C.

"I thought you would rather bring me down and basically smash my faith rather than try and cheer me up," Lelouch replies sadistically. C.C. just giggles in response, which seems very out of character. That damn witch is enjoying this. Lelouch scowls at that thought, leveling his gaze with the gooey cheese pizza that C.C.'s bringing up to her tiny mouth, as though he could burn that entity, which is clearly the object that C.C. loves most in her life. How did she even retrieve the pizza from above? Did she really just bring it along with her?

A small voice causes Lelouch's gaze to soften, as he rounds to Nunnally, wheeled to the center of the room, with Lelouch and C.C. plopping upon dusty crates randomly settled around here. "Um, Big Brother, where exactly are we?" Nunnally's nose wrinkles, to express her distaste. "It smells...musky, in here," Nunnally exclaims her observation.

"That probably has something to do with us being in an abandoned storage room twenty feet underground the school's building, waiting for Milly," C.C. says dryly. Lelouch glowers at her, and she beams for a reaction, causing Lelouch's glare to intensify and darken when directed towards her.

"We're most likely not twenty feet underground, if you don't count the basement," Lelouch snaps.

"There's a room deeper than the basement?" Nunnally chirps. Lelouch sighs, having to live with Nunnally's concerned expression. "Why would Milly say all of that about us?"

Silence wraps around the air already thick of dust. "It wasn't Milly's fault," Lelouch mutters. A small gasp escapes from Nunnally, implying that he continues. "Just, trust me on that," Lelouch can't ruin his friend's reputation for his sister's eyes. It's technically not her problem. Suddenly, the trapdoor attached to the ceiling of this dim, cobwebbed room swings open, yet, opened slowly, as though to yawn out the loud creak that emits from the rusty hinges. "Ah, Sayako," Lelouch's arched back relaxes. He can't help but feel slightly fearful in such a gloomy, unknown place. "Now we can continue down the tunnels," Lelouch sighs, and he walks over to Nunnally, and grips the handles to her wheelchair. Sayako flicks the trapdoor back shut into its place, and follows behind Lelouch and Nunnally. C.C. is sure to follow along whenever she feels like it.

* * *

Milly blinks, realizing that she's gripping the handle to her microphone, that emits whatever she says into it through all the speakers pitched throughout the school. Was she going to make an announcement? "No. Way." Milly stiffens at the unfamiliar voice, and she whirls around, still clutching her mic. Two girls burst into the room, giggling. "Is it true, what you just said?" Milly blinks, before a smile breaks across her face.

"Ah, excuse me, but what?" Milly inclines her head, slightly confused by this whole ordeal. She cannot recall what she was about to do. Wait, wasn't she visiting Lelouch, who was sick in the hospital? How did she get back here? "That Lelouch is the eleventh prince of Britannia!" Milly drops the microphone.

 _She did not_ , oh, no, she did. Everywhere Milly steps, a loud burst of chatter follows. When did she say this? Milly nearly broke down in tears after hearing the whole story from a very, very, surprised Shirley. Nunnally and Lelouch must've escaped down into the tunnels, after all, it's the only place the school shouldn't know about. "Why didn't he tell me?" Rivalz whimpers. "First he bans me from going with him to gamble, and now-!" Milly ignores the whole crowd following her as though they're a pack of puppies trailing after an owner with a treat. Even her friends are now dogging her for answers.

"He can set me up with Princess Euphemia!" Nina gasps in delight, for possibly, the fifteenth time within this minute. Milly stomps through the field.

"Where's Lelouch?" Milly gasps as someone yanks at her arm. A crazy fangirl, possibly. "Where is he!" The echo of her previous question, seems more like a shout from her, as though she's not asking for answers, but rather, cheering out loud. Milly whimpers, jerking her arm away. After glaring around her, as though daring them to tackle her for answers, she didn't see the strawberry haired woman in front of her, and nearly knocks her down.

"Ah, sorry!" Milly chirps nervously, hoping that they don't grab her and strangle her for information. "Oh, Kallen!" To Milly's surprise, Kallen seems rather stiff-and she's grimacing. Perhaps she's not fond of all this attention? "Oh help me Kallen! I don't even remember saying this!" Milly nearly cries aloud, but she's sure that the tide of people behind her are basically clinging onto her every word.

"You don't remember?" Kallen hisses, to Milly's shock, and she retracts her hand from Kallen's shoulder. "I mean," Kallen's tone soften. "Where is Lelouch at the moment?" For some reason, those words ignite the anger in her stomach.

"I don't know where Lelouch is, dammit! That's all you girls want to do-" Milly practically shouts as she storms away, the last of her patience and animated feelings sliding away. "Just get it with him!" Milly fumes. She turns around, and guilt washes over Milly, extinguishing the said flame of anger. A scowl is plastered over Kallen's normally soft features. "I'm sorry," Milly feebly mutters, yet, the frown continues to stay upon her friend's face. "I'm just overwhelmed. Why did I say that stuff?" She wails to no one in particular. "I didn't even known I said that until I walked outside and mobbed by hundreds of people. Wait until the next day and someone comes over, wanting to pick Lelouch and Nunnally up. I just ruined their lives!" Milly whispers, trying to hide her voice. She whips around, glaring at the people behind them. "Please go away!" she waves her hands at them, gesturing for them to leave.

Shouts of protests and questions rise into the air. Milly grabs Kallen's wrist, to flinches at physical contact, and Milly yanks her along with her, as she begins to run through the field in heels. No doubt are there hundreds of students still running after her, searching for answers. Panting, Milly shoves Kallen into the student council room, and she slams the door shut. Whispers erupt from behind the locked door, even a couple knocks. "Milly, it's me, Shirley!"

"If I let you in, I'm going to accidentally let others in, sorry!" Milly yelps as the door rattles from a pounding student. "Please, don't break down the door or else you'll have to pay for it! Trust me when I say your fellow students won't try and hide your actions!" Milly snarls. The knocking stops, and an uncanny silence settles between the room, the door, and its hallway full of students. They're probably trying to listen in. Milly scoffs as a phone halfway slides into the room through the gap underneath the door, and Milly slams the sharp heel of her pumps into the screen, and she positively breaks it, cracking the phone's glistening screen. A yelp of indignation and string of cusses flow from the silence as the phone is yanked back, and the owner views the damage. Milly smirks. She lowers her voice. "Finally, peace and quiet," Milly collapses into a pulled out chair. Kallen settles down quietly into one across from the table.

* * *

She knew it. That Britannian rat. However, this is the perfect chance to learn more about this scum before she passes this information to the rest of her crew. "Why wouldn't Lelouch tell everyone else that he was the prince?" Kallen inquires gently to her shaken friend. Yeah, totally, Milly just happens to forget that she blew the cover of her two friends, yeah. And how could someone as sweet and kind as Nunnally, be related to the whole pack of snobbish rodents? Perhaps she's being slightly racist, after all, it's true that not all Britannians are bad, and they're not fully royal as Marianne the Flash was a commoner. However, Kallen continues to despise the two vile creatures. Of course Nunnally was just manipulating them. Then again, Princess Euphemia is a royal, and she's kind.

"I-It's not my place to say. Let me just say..." Milly's watering cobalt eyes dart around, as though she suspects there are listening devices or bugs planted into the room, clinging onto their private conversation. "They don't want to go back. And...Lelouch does often pity the Elevens, he would hate royalty," Now, Kallen is taken back. Why would Lelouch, a person who acts superior in every way, not want to be found by his arrogant family? "Great!" Milly slams her hands onto the table, and Kallen leaps in her seat, alerted by the noise and startled by Milly's sudden mood change. "They went through my purse!" Milly grabs the strap of her fashionable bag, and sure enough, it's quite disorganized inside of it, her wallet is on the table, probably missing cash or credit cards, and the zipper of her purse is gaping open. "Oh!" Milly snatches up her wallet, and her eyes crinkle, as tears begin to bead upon her waterline. This is when Kallen becomes immensely uncomfortable. After all, she's unsure of what to do to comfort a crying friend. _Friend, she's not your friend, Kallen!_ Kallen mentally scolds herself in a chiding tone her step mother would use upon her. "They stole my cash," Milly sighs glumly, she doesn't even seem mad anymore, and Kallen winces inwardly. Kallen can't help but feel slightly sympathetic towards her former friend, this happens quite a lot with Elevens. "It's fine, there...there wasn't a lot in there," Kallen is unsure if Milly's saying that to reassure her, or herself. However, Kallen labels that as a lie, after all, Milly is an heiress, true, she's not as important and her family's practically stripped of their honor, but she wouldn't have just a couple measly yens [or whatever they use]. Then, a thought connects in her friend. The Ashford family is slightly shamed...because they supported Queen Marianne, and when she's gone, nobody really supported them anymore. Of course Lelouch and Nunnally, the only children of Queen Marianne, would run to their mother's former friends after leaving Britannia for whatever reason. And no doubt about it, did the two knew Milly for a long time probably, they might've even grown up as siblings.

"Do you actually know where they are though, I mean, I"m slightly worried for them," Kallen whispers to Milly, slightly surprise to find that her words are genuine.

"I do. But, I think I already ruined them more than enough. No need to tell everyone," Milly sighs, slamming her forehead onto the desk, her bouncy hair fanning around her head as a ground emits from her. Kallen winces, she's done that before, and well, face desking is quite painful in her opinion. Not for the first time today, she feels pity for this blonde beauty.

* * *

To Cordelia's displeasure, Euphemia literally spat out her tea, and the amber liquid sloshes down the front of her dress. "What are you doing?" Cordelia sighs, eyeing the phone attached to her ear. Then, Cordelia's annoyance melts away, replaced with concern, as Euphemia turns to face her, with her large, blue eyes that dilates further. Oh no-they're glittering. Why is she tearing up randomly in the middle of a phone call? She swears that she'll trace the call back and kill whoever made her sister upset. "What's wrong?" Cordelia inquires, slightly fearful if Euphemia's going to burst out sobbing.

"I'm talking with my personal guard, Suzaku...and..." Euphemia slowly lowers the phone. "There was a lot of shouting behind him. Suddenly, a girl took his phone after asking who he was talking to, saying that her name was Nina. She's a kind girl I met before," Euphemia turns to Cordelia, her call on hold. "And she said that Lelouch and Nunnally are alive at the school." Cordelia stares at her, as Euphemia's teacup's clatter is muffled by the carpet, as the handle of the dainty cup slips out of her loosen grip, creating a brown stain of tea across the scarlet rug.

"That can't be possible," Cordelia whispers, her voice clipped and articulated, slightly angered by Nina's claim. "It can't be true," Cordelia bristles. "They're dead," Cordelia, to her horror, feels heated tears glossing around her eyeballs, and blinks hard to avoid them from spilling out. "You hear me? _They're dead,_ " Cordelia refuses to be inflated with happiness from false hope.

They're dead, and there's no way to bring them back.

* * *

Yeah. So um, I think it's kind of short, but I tried, okay.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay.

So in the last chapter, I may or may not have used 'Cordelia' instead of 'Cornelia'.

Sorry.

Disclaimer I don't own Code Geass.

* * *

"You can't really believe all this bullshit!" Cornelia snarls angrily clenching her phone within her clammy hands, narrowing her sapphire eyes towards her older brother. As expected, he just smiles with his sickly sweet grin. "T-There's no way that Lelouch is still alive, all that from the Ashford family is just plain bull!" she stammers. Schneizel seriously can't be considering these rumors. "It's another thing, it's even all over the internet, it's definitely a rumor," she groans.

"Now," Schneizel snickers softly. "Rumors are often based off of events. Who knows, maybe something really did occur in Ashford," he shrugs. "And now, lady's don't use such vulgar language," he adds in a colder tone, heaving himself off his cushioned chair, and Cornelia stiffens, straightening out any arches in her spine, as though to try and correct her already perfect posture in comparison to her graceful brother. Everything's a competition between them-perhaps back then Lelouch and Schneizel always competed against one another, yet, it's always been friendly no matter how many times Lelouch resisted from flipping the chess board after losing against his brother, yet, when it comes to her and Schneizel, there's no friendly competition. Rather, it's more of them sizing themselves up against each other to see who's stronger, wiser, more strategic, basically everything that she always fails against her superior.

"Excuse me?" Cornelia slams her phone onto his desk, yes, he may be her superior and undoubtedly smarter, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's correct, no matter how many times that claim from her was shot down by his record of truthful statements. "Excuse me," she echoes in a gentler voice, removing her phone off the desk, inspecting the glossy wood table-no noticeable indention was made upon it. "I'm sorry," she apologizes, and Schneizel inclines her head, as though accepting her grumbling words. "But...we both know that Lelouch and Nunnally are dead," she continues in a softer, more cautious voice. "Besides, brother, usually, rumors are based off of the imaginations of bored humans," she exclaims, pocketing her phone finally, hoping not to cause more damage with the plastic entity.

"Perhaps, but, it must be quite the boredom for who supposedly caused this whole ordeal-Milly Ashford, she must've known how provoked and insulted we could've felt. I feel that she would've been more cautious if she's unable to back up this claim," Schneizel explains slowly. Admittedly, he's making sense, yet, Cornelia chooses not to mention so. "Well, Clovis is after all, currently in Area Eleven and is the ruler over it, might as well send him to check it out."

"He won't find anything."

"But if he does..." Schneizel smirks, and begins to pace around her, causing Cornelia to bristle, after all, she's able to feel his burning gaze of her brother's glistening eyes, her senses heightening by the sudden distance that seem to shrink between them. She's able to pick up the muffled footsteps of his shoes against the mauve carpet. "Besides, isn't it that most siblings would be grateful of their dead siblings turning out to be alive?" Schneizel exclaims, and Cornelia stiffens, her breath hitching in her throat, she's able to detect the accusing tone.

"Schneizel, I'd be quite happy if our siblings turn out to be alive!" Cornelia hisses, stiffening, noting the layer of accusation.

"But wouldn't it just be more competition for the throne?" Cornelia has a feeling she has an idea about what her asshole of a brother is implying, it's not as though Nunnally nor Lelouch has a decent chance of running for throne, especially after Lelouch disowned his title and Nunnally ended up blind and crippled.

"Doesn't matter, I'd be quite happy to see them," Cornelia scowls, before storming out of the room, her heart racing. She swears, just being in an enclosed area with Schneizel causes heat and sweat to cling onto her, no matter how airy the receptacle might be.

* * *

Lelouch continues down the hallway. "Lelouch." He long since ignored C.C.'s calls. After all, she's probably going to ask if they're there yet. To be sure, Lelouch is unsure where. "Lelouch." Once more, he turns a deaf ear towards C.C.'s dry tone. "Lelouch," not once, did the witch raise her voice, yet, her flat tone continues to irritate Lelouch in an odd manner, how-he's unsure himself.

"Lelouch." A different, lighter, kinder voice greets him.

"Yes?" Lelouch rounds to Nunnally instantly, who's strolling in her wheel chair behind him.

"So you answer her calls but not mine?" C.C. grumbles, yet her features remain passive, indicating her lack of offense taken from Lelouch's reaction towards his little sister's voice. "How kind of you, Lelouch," she adds, and Lelouch throws a last nasty glare towards her. Of all the sadistic soulmates Lelouch could've ended up with-Milly is even a less irritating choice-he ended up with C.C. Of course, it's quite nice to have someone to rejoinder with, actually, most of their bickering conversations ends up with Lelouch smirking as C.C. glares back towards him, winning as she tries and fails to smother him to death with Cheese-kun. He's sure that if they weren't such good sarcastic friends, he would be dead. Of course, their contract also helps his life against this extremely violent girl.

"We are we going?" The younger female asks innocently, twisting her knuckles in her hands, rubbing them in a dazed motion.

"Your older brother doesn't know," C.C. smirks, and Lelouch whips around to face the green-haired witch in the cramped tunnel, and he glowers deviously towards her, and she just smiles, waving the tips of her fingers that peek out the large sleeve of her shirt. "He's just too proud to admit it," And to Lelouch's displeasure, Nunnally actually chuckles at C.C.'s taunting explanation. Lelouch rounds back to the front on the heels of his feet. "Lelouch, you do know that we're basically in the sewers?" Lelouch is quite aware of his surroundings.

"Ah," Nunnally wrinkles her nose. "That explains the smell," Yes, Lelouch isn't quite pleased with the distasteful smell of garbage, yet, hopefully nobody would come down here. "What are we going to do? What if Clovis hears of this? Would he believe such rumors?" Nunnaly simpers. Lelouch doesn't answer. Just about the entire student body knows them, of course once they compare pictures it wouldn't be hard to see the resemblance between the young prince who died along with his sister and to present photos of them.

Lelouch allows the echoes of his footsteps against the concrete to fill up the silence, rather than actual words. "We could go up to another district," Lelouch suggests, and narrows his eyes as he continues into the darkness as he hears a snort from C.C. The beam protruding from his flashlight-the only source of light around here, thankfully he found it among the supplies and crates-and he sways it around for a bit as he thinks. "Well, I'm sure no student would go this far down here," Lelouch gnaws his bottom lip. "However, these sewers are working, Elevens will definitely come down here most likely from the Britannians that'll force them to come down." He begins cautiously, after all, he's treading on light ground, which is Nunnally's assurance. He musn't accidentally inform her in any way about his lack of sense in this situation, he's unsure of what to do himself, honestly. "Of course, the Ashford family can no longer afford to continue watching over us, especially if others decide to keep an eye on them, especially because Milly herself mentioned us," Lelouch sighs. Now this is getting complicated. "However, I'm assure that we'll be fine," Lelouch admits.

"Or, there is one other suggestion," C.C.'s articulated voice is pleasant as the gentle tone contrasts the raging sewer water beside them, with junk and disposed items flowing down the murky river. "Lelouch...let's just say, if one of you guys give yourself up, you can convince the other one is dead." Lelouch pauses, hesitating. For some strange reason, that idea has not yet occur to him.

"No, Lelouch, don't!"

"I-I guess there's really no other plausible choice, isn't there?" Lelouch stammers, staring wide eye at the amber-retina girl, who slightly inclines her head, and a sheet of glossy green hair slides over her shoulder at that small gesture. "C.C...watch over Nunnally. There's really nothing else that can be done."

"Lelouch!" Nunnally shrieks, and Lelouch, unable to continue hearing his younger sister's continuous shrieks, he skirts around her wheelchair, and takes off running, back to the direction of the school's basement. "Lelouch!" _It's for you, Nunnally._

* * *

Milly paces in the enclosed receptacle, with Kallen bristling, still seated against the table. "We can't leave without being mobbed," Kallen groans, summing up the situation. "Ugh!" Milly never witnessed such behavior from a normally quiet, timid girl like Kallen, yet, something about Kallen's eyes narrowed into a glare seems slightly sinister in her opinion, and Milly averts hers whenever their eyes clap against on another. Milly shifts onto the counter top behind her, and swings her feet in a joyful manner-no matter how down she is right about now-and taps the heels of her shoes against the cabinets beneath her in a steady beat.

"Well, it'll be fine," Milly reassures. After all, being the president and heiress, her usually real front is for her to be enthusiastic whenever her fellow peers are in a gloomy state. However, right now, most of those students are waiting outside silently, waiting for her to finally leave so they can finally snatch her like the helpless damsel she is and interrogate her. Yes, she can always use restraining orders...but that just proves her faith in her student body's humanity is lost, and also shows that they're mindless fangirls. "Trust me," she adds under her breath, and Kallen raises a strawberry eyebrow, and Milly shrugs in response, her smile slowly lowering in a similar way she's downcasting her eyes. "Ah shit," Milly blurts out, and snaps her head up, yet, Kallen doesn't seem bothered about her sudden use of language. "I don't know what to do-!" Milly yelps as suddenly, right beneath where she's tapping her feet, the rug flings to the side, and the floor opens up.

"I totally forgot about the trapdoor," Milly curls her feet up, hugging them close to her chest to allow whoever the person opened the trapdoor to enter. Kallen automatically leaps to her feet, holding a mini purse, which Milly assumes can only be the case to her phone, yet, she's brandishing it as though it's a weapon. Of course, that's one thing Milly cannot understand. Maybe the phone case just offers reassurance towards the strawberry-haired girl.

"Hey," a feeble voice cracks, and a lanky figure steps out of the billow of dust that settled underneath the rug ontop of the rusty trapdoor.

"Lelouch!" Milly instinctively hugs the boy. "What are you doing here?" Milly buries her visage into his thin arm covered in his jacket. With his foot and one fluid motion, Lelouch shuts the trapdoor by bringing the sole of his shoe upon the wooden door. "Oh fuck, I'm so sorry!" Milly sobs, yet, she's unable to produce a tear, probably because she refuses to allow herself to cry onto Lelouch's school uniform.

"It's fine," Milly straightens, staring at Lelouch, who remains passive. "I'm going to hide Nunnally, and turn myself in, it's the best for the both of us," Milly exclaims.

"You have a lot of explaining to do!" Lelouch inhales sharply as Kallen grabs his shoulder, twirling him to face her scowling face, yet, to Milly's shock, he doesn't seem startled to see such a harden expression upon Kallen's normally gentle visage.

"I already explained a lot to you," Milly scoffs. Lelouch raises an eyebrow towards her. "Well, fine, not that much," Milly confesses, though she's slightly reluctant to say that nearby Kallen, who's sure to remember this. "Nunnally's safe?" Milly inquires, and Lelouch nods, and Milly exhales loudly in relief, before nearly collapsing onto the edge of the counter, which digs deep into her spine, yet, she continues to feel hopeful. "Wait, you're going to face your father again?" Milly blinks, digesting what Lelouch's implying by his previous statement. "You're going to turn yourself in?"

"Kallen's still here," Lelouch clears his throat, and Kallen crosses her arms, folding them across her chest, her scowl deepening. "And...are there people outside?"

"Yeah. They probably know you're in here by now. I threatened them with a restraining order and suing them for destroying property if they break in," Milly chirrups cheerfully. "I would call the teachers to round them up, but I'm sure the moment you step out of this room, everyone will abandon their class just to talk with you," she continues, and she flinches as her old friend's features seem to sag. "It's...I don't know. I think it's safer for you to just stay in here." Milly suggests. Feeling this is something she must do, Milly marches up to the door that's bowing towards her, implying that possibly fifty kids are leaning against the door trying to listen into their conversation. Milly pounds hard, rapping her knuckles against the door and then slamming her fist against it, and suddenly, the door straightens, as though fifty kids just jumped back. _"Don't you have anything better to do?_ " Milly screams towards the locked door, and grumbles erupt from behind the wooden door.

Milly turns around, and gestures for her two friends to come closer. She pushes Lelouch aside, and opens the door a gap, blinking. A huge mob of students stare back, blinking. Milly widens the door, and almost immediately, a couple foolish students try to worm past her. "Now, I know you probably have a lot of questions and-"

"Is Lelouch here?"

"Is what you said true?"

"I heard Clovis is coming." Millions of questions hiss into the air, all obviously directed towards her.

"Shut up!" Milly snaps, stomping her foot, her heel leaving an imprint upon the carpet. "Now, yes, I'm sure you're now aware of Lelouch being here, and I'd like to say that-" she hesitates. If she claims what she said was false, then she'd definitely be sent to jail or worse. Yet...if she confesses what she said was true...

"Move along, Milly," said girl gasps as Lelouch steps out from behind the door. "We can deal with them later." and just like that, he slams the door shut, locking it. _"What were you doing?"_ He snarls, gripping onto her arm. "I know you were going to say what you said was a mistake but...still!" he visibly locks his jaw, and Milly winces at his agitated attitude. Rarely does Lelouch ever allow such emotions to reveal themselves, if he's angry, he'll clearly let them know, yet, never has he ever seem so mad. "Do you know the consequences? It's fine, you heard them. Clovis might come, doesn't even matter once he heard of us, if he hears the description, being so thick-headed he is, he'll assume that they're correct even if he doesn't see us. We'll deal with that later. For now, let's just leave school grounds first," Lelouch jerks his thumb towards the innocent trapdoor.

"I'll stay behind," Kallen offers kindly. Milly gives her a strained smile out of thanks. "Someone has to hide it," she whispers. "Of course, they might've already heard of this by listening onto our conversation, but there's nothing else we can do right now," she shrugs. Milly slowly opens the trapdoor hanging from rusty hinges, trying to yawn out the creak. She slowly grips onto the handle of the ladder, and flinches as the chipping metal scrapes against her palms. She begins to lower herself down, fidgeting from each creak, feeling uncomfortable the deeper she heads down the corroded ladder. The moment her feet hit the ground, relief floods through her.

"Well," Lelouch lands beside her, and a creak and a 'thud' indicates that Kallen shut the trapdoor and is probably currently hiding it. "Now which way leads away from this school?"

* * *

Impossible. Clovis laughs aloud as Schneizel calmly explains his directions through the phone, and Clovis quickly swallows his tea, after all, the hot drink is scalding his throat as he's chortling at his brother's ridiculous claim. "There's no way those rumors are true!" Clovis exclaims between one-note laughs and awkward chuckles. He finally composes himself. "But of course," Clovis doesn't dare to refuse a direct order from his superior. "I'll go check," Clovis shakes his head as he ends the conversation on his phone, and swings over to his plump helper. "Ashford Academy, let's go," he emphasizes his strain upon his last two words. "Let's just get this miserable search over with," Clovis grumbles, slouching in his seat as the wide man leaves the room of his little plane. "I don't have time for this," he adds as he straightens up, leaving the chair. Hopefully, not only rumors live within the walls of this so called Academy-perhaps young, fruitful girls also happen to atten here.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer, I do not own Code Geass.

* * *

"There really is Lelouch Lamperouge here?" Clovis frowns, his eyebrows scrunching together. What a coincidence, the deceased queen's maiden's name is suspected to be Lamperouge. However, if this really is the Lelouch he knows, he wouldn't be so ignorant to decide to keep his regular name, no matter how common, along with his mother's maiden name, would he? "Are you sure?" Clovis knows how redundant it is for him to inquire once more, however, he's highly doubtful of Lelouch vi Britannia being located here. Then again...the Ashford family is quite fond of queen Marianne. At that thought, Clovis hesitates for a moment, falling behind on the orange haired girl's pace. Could it really be? After all, this is quite an copious amount of coincidences.

"Yes, I'm actually good friends with Lulu," the auburn haired female smiles cheerfully, her jade eyes beaming from excitement or some sort of positive attitude. However, Clovis is quite interested about her rather wide rack, however, he's sure to keep his eyes clapped with the girl's slim visage. "With black hair and purple eyes-that kid?" Lelouch had ebony hair and enchanting orchid eyes inherited from his mother. Clovis struggles to inhale. Now, another competitor for the race to who can claim the throne first. But if this really is Lelouch, why would he conceal himself for so long?

Clovis halts in front of the girl, who blinks, her smile faltering by his sudden fluid movement. "Do you happen to know where this particular Lelouch happens to be?" he asks delicately.

"Oh, actually, nobody's seen him in a while. Earlier, he was in a hospital, but we previously saw him around the yard," the female proclaims. "I think he might be in the student council room, because Milly refuses to let anyone in. Or maybe she just doesn't want students to mob her," the girl muses thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a slender finger. "But I don't think Lelouch would be in there, he wouldn't be dumb enough to hide out there, would he?"

* * *

"Lelouch is aware that everyone is school knows I'm here, and they'll eventually learn that I'm still alive, right?" Nunnally mutters.

"He's Lelouch. He'll probably lie in his father's face." C.C. answers calmly. Of course, even C.C. doubts her own statement.

* * *

Lelouch stares out the window, his spine arching at the sight of Clovis, who's currently conversing with Shirley. He's unable to hear what she's saying, however. "So, you're really going to do this? Everyone knows about you guys, pretty soon, even if you disappear, this won't die. They also know about Nunnally, even if we can erase all files about her, they'd still look for her." Milly murmurs. "Oh, what did I do?" she groans, slamming her head onto the table, collapsing and groaning into her arms.

"So, Lelouch," Kallen creeps up towards Lelouch, who continues to eye his blonde brother. "I do not understand why one wouldn't tell their family that they're Britannian royalty," she begins. Lelouch doesn't answer. "Lelouch?" Kallen clears her throat loudly, yet, it doesn't stir any reaction from the boy. "Lelouch?" she begins once more, only to recieve the same response.

"You're right. No matter what, even if me and Nunnally disappear, where could we go? Even if we disguise ourselves, we need to give out background information, and there's not a lot of people who wouldn't question us like the Ashford family," Lelouch's voice cracks, his eyes glimmering. Inhaling sharply, he blinks away the realization and tears. "The only thing I can do is stay with Britannia, so that I can keep them from looking for Nunnally, because eventually, people are going to believe that she's alive if I am."

"Hey," Milly is scrolling through the feed on her social page. "I found my phone," she smiles happily. "And...someone's selling you and Nunnally's photos from class pictures for fifty bucks." she blinks. "Okay. Some people are saying this is photoshopped, but...holy crap-someone bought it-!" Milly's already large eyes seem to dilate, if possible. "Whoa, whoa, hold on, I have like hundreds of pictures of the whole student council, I can literally buy hundreds of shoes from the money of selling you and Nunnally's pictures!" She then looks over to Lelouch. "If, he allows me," she fingers her phone sheepishly.

"Well, I guess, but you have to crop out Nunnally." Lelouch sighs. "And I have to approve of that photo," he adds quickly, recalling when she decided to dress him up as another stupid one of her animals, and knowing this, he'd rather not have the photo of him stuffed into a cat suit stream on the internet. He might not be able to preserve his life, but he seriously wants to keep his dignity.

* * *

Clovis feels as though his stomach froze into a giant hunk of ice, as he clap eyes with the lanky boy, who's around his height. "You're really alive." he breathes, practically wheezing by this point. "You really...really are alive." a huge wave of onlookers are even holding out their phones, clearly capturing this moment with their crappy phone cameras. Lelouch inclines his head, as though agreeing with his obvious statement, his ebony locks gently swaying as he does that one motion. His narrowed eyes seem to observe this situation quietly. "I thought I would never see you again," he gasps, and quickly, before the willowy boy can react, he reaches forwards, hugging Lelouch, who seems to stiffen in his arms. Typical.

"Hello, Clovis," Lelouch mutters, his voice husky and low, also breathy in a way, as though he's startled by something. Probably that his half-brother just suddenly hugged him. The said half-brother is unsure whether or not he shows pleasure or distaste in seeing his long-lost brother.

"I thought you died!" Clovis squeezes his brother, and if even possible, Lelouch's spine seems to become even straighter. He buries his chin over his brother's shoulder, waiting for Lelouch to begin to squirm, writhe and struggle, shouting vulgar words as he would when he was younger.

"C-Clovis," Lelouch stammers, and a pair of hands latch onto Clovis' arms, and he loosens slightly. "I can't breathe." Fair enough. Clovis finally releases his surprisingly strong grip, and Lelouch staggers back a couple steps, as though to regain his balance. This is when Clovis becomes aware of the absence of a young particular girl.

"Where's Nunnally?" And just like that, Lelouch clams up, before staring back down at his feet. "Lelouch!" Clovis' smile slides off, as he notices how he seems to try and hide behind his black bangs. "Is she not here?" Slowly, as though hesitant-or maybe reluctant, he shakes his head. "Fine, first, we shall go see Schneizel!" At the mention of their elder brother's name, Lelouch's head snaps up, his eyes wide, his normally passive lips pulled downwards into a slight frown.

"Is he here?" Lelouch gasps.

"No, of course not!" Clovis scoffs, as he drags Lelouch towards where he parked the helicopter he decided to pick up, away from the glaring flashes from the cameras of the student body. "See!" he basically stuffs Lelouch into the room, slamming the door behind him. He pulls a screen locked away at the ceiling of the helicopter down, after mentioning for the pilot to begin driving. He punches a button lightly, and pulls up a request to begin video-chatting with Schneizel. After the second ring of the tablet, a smug visage appears upon the screen fluidly, without static unlike last time.

"Hello, Clovis," Schneizel sighs, his smirk curling downwards. "Judging by the lack of arguments, you didn't find Lelouch, did you?" He couldn't help it; Clovis cannot resist the smile crawling across his pale visage. "You really are hopeless," his brother continues, lowering his eyes so that they're nearly obscured by his long lashes. Clovis yanks Lelouch over, who seems to be avoiding being seen by Schneizel, until he shows up in the screen. Schneizel doesn't fail to react. Almost everything happened in an instant: the way his nostrils flared, the way his lips parted as though gasping, and how his sapphire eyes seem to enlarge by themselves. However, his response quickly disappears, glazed over with a neutral expression. Clovis already imprinted the memory of Schneizel's rare reaction, savoring how he's finally able to startle his normally passive brother.

"I found him," Clovis arrogantly tilts his head, his smirk widening into a large smile of glee. "I found him first," and Lelouch scoffs besides him, and before Schneizel can respond with anything, he quickly shuts off the tablet, not wanting to ruin this opportunity of finally having the last word with his dear, older infuriating brother.

"Yes!" Clovis whoops, startling Lelouch beside him, who recoils as he flings out his arms. "Did you see the look on his face?" he cackles. Lelouch just glowers at him with a bored expression. "Well, you're not the talker. Then again, you weren't when you were younger." Clovis then recalls how Lelouch avoided his question about Nunnally. "Hey, uh," Clovis composes himself. "What really happened with Nunnally?"

"A...A group of terrorists took her."

* * *

Lelouch automatically catches the mistake of his words. Oh shit. Automatically, cursing at his obliviousness of his words, he clenches his fist. Ah, he can't change his lie now, it'd make even a thick-headed boy like Clovis realize. Anger contorts across his brother's face. Oh-does he really care? Doubtful. He knows that immediately, Clovis will spread this, and even worse, that means he basically brought danger over his army of Black Knights. "I-I'm unsure if it was terrorists. They might've not been, they just spoken in Japanese," Lelouch stutters, adopting a tone that'd make it seem as though he's wounded by the loss of his sister.

"Was it Zero?" Clovis questions, his voice hissing with fury. Lelouch is unsure whether or not his brother is showing anger. Perhaps this is brotherly rage, maybe he really is furious over the kidnapping of his sister, however, Lelouch is sure that even if he is downtrodden over Nunnally's disappearance, he wouldn't care either way, if she's dead or alive, as she is in no way competition for anything against him, and if she isn't alive, well, nothing really changes over his life.

"No, I don't think so, I mean, I didn't see the mask." Lelouch then realizes that it makes him sound inferior and stupid, and Clovis will automatically knows something's up by his feeble claim. "Of course, it could always be his group," he hastily adds. "But if it was Zero, why would he take a harmless nobility? He seems too smart to take a girl who's both blind and unable to walk, he knows that she'd be no use to him."

"No, but Lelouch, he knows that you'll go after her. And even though you gave up your throne, you're still something, unlike Nunnally." Clovis begins. Dammit. So his brother really did get wiser over the course of years. How troublesome.

* * *

I know this is really short.

I'm sorry.

I promise I'll write within the spam of today and Wednesday. Probably.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer, I do not own Code Geass

Another thing, Clovis is alive because in my story, he was never killed.

Why?

Because I feel like it.

* * *

Let's be honest, the moment there's a trapdoor in the student council room, you should've realized that i'm going to start adding crap into this.

* * *

"Dude. He just got taken." Rivalz whispers, staring at the spot where the helicopter took off, leaving behind a patch of flatten grass. "We'll never see him again!" Rivalz squeaks, gnawing on his nails nervously. He twists around, facing his blonde friend, his arms flailing. _"Lelouch left!"_ Rivalz screeches, and he ignores the stray looks that quickly avert as he stares back. Milly, however, seems even more highly uncomfortable, her normally animated aura vanishing. "He'll never come back!" Rivalz wheezes, his words clogging in his throat, and comes out in a jumbled mess.

Shirley however, seems to respond to this whole situation in the most sincere matter, compared to them, which surprises Rivalz. He expected her to be the type to begin breaking down, sobbing, and devouring chunks of chocolate rapidly. "He'll come back for us," she proclaims solemnly. "Of course he will, he's our friend, he wouldn't just forget about us," she says, completely devoid of uncertainty.

"Do you think he'll bring Princess Euphemia with him when he does?" Nina readjusts her glasses excitedly, her eyes glistening. "And Shirley's right. I might've not been around Lelouch for long, but he's the loyal type. We're some of his best friends, after all," she adds, which also startles Rivalz, before guilt begins to consume within him. How shameful, these two girls-even Nina, who tends to separate herself from them, have absolute, strong-set faith in Lelouch, and while he's here, his best friend, and yet, has absolutely no hope in his friend on returning. And Shirley, though she might just be manipulated by her crush upon one of her best friends, isn't completely dumb, she wouldn't say things that'd just bring her false hope. Rivalz straightens. He should also carry the same faith.

"You know," Rivalz fails to discreetly wipe away his tears on the stiff sleeve of his school uniform. "You're right, Lelouch isn't the type just to ditch us," his thoughts stray to the time when he came back to school without Lelouch, after he randomly disappeared. Well, Lelouch wouldn't disappear without reason, at least. "You know," he lowers his voice, cautious of saying anything while they're in a crowd of students, which probably include many eavesdroppers as well. "How did you know?" he pressures, and though he's starting to feel immensely guilty as Milly lowers her head, her platinum blonde ringlets shadowing across her face.

"Let's...not talk about this right now," Milly starts, and she walks away, beckoning for them to follow. It becomes clear to Rivalz where they're going, as they walk up a certain hallway. His gut wrenches. They're heading into the student council room. Without...Lelouch...the vice president of their little club of friends. They seat themselves, with Milly, sure to lock the door behind them.

"We have a trapdoor?" Rivalz blinks, staring, gawking at the small door on the floor, with dust settled around it. The rug that used to be over it was shoved to the side, rumpled underneath the door itself. "What?" He whips over to Milly, who's carefully organizing her purse. "What else haven't you told us?"

"Okay, okay," Milly grumbles, and she begins to prep herself, and Rivalz groans, unable to fathom why Milly finds this the time to spread lipgloss over her lips. Then again, Milly has strange nervous habits. "Lelouch, yes, is the lost prince of Britannia. And well, the Ashford family was always good with Marianne the Flash, so we may or may not have decided to take him in along with Nunnally." She begins.

"Where's Nunnally?" Kallen asks gently, apparently immune to Milly's confession, while Shirley just stared bitterly at the table they're seated around, probably slightly miffed that Lelouch, a dear friend, didn't tell her this when she's always there for him. Milly shrugs, however, judging by the stiff shoulder and sudden strained smile shining from gloss, Rivalz suspects she just refuses to tell them. Suddenly, anger flares within him. He's friends with Lelouch as well-best friends, even! And yet-yet, Lelouch never bothered to tell him? Rivalz extinguishes his anger with common and logical sense. Lelouch was always cautious, of course he wouldn't just tell him this.

"I knew this too," Suzaku adds, and Rivalz turns to him, the furious feeling returning.

"He told you but not me?" Rivalz is aware how Suzaku and Lelouch are good friends-but still! "Next Kallen will say she knew this, and Shirley was a cow all along!" he fumes, folding his arms crossly, glowering darkly.

"Excuse me?" Shirley glares at him, clearly insulted by being implied as a cow.

"Actually, yeah, I knew this." Kallen adds nonchalantly.

"What!"

"I told her earlier Rivalz, shut up!" Milly puckers her lips crossly. Rivalz snorts, before flopping back into his seat, slouching.

"Should we call him?" Kallen suggests, continuing in her indifferent tone. "I mean, he might need support at this time," she adds. "Or Nunnally."

"No, it's doubtful that Nunnally has her phone with her," Milly shakes her head. "We should just turn on the news and wait," she instructs. "After all, though Lelouch is our friend, he probably doesn't want to pick up, as there's a possible way for people to trace his calls. Or his family threw it away and gave him a new one. He probably doesn't want to have private conversations over the phone, more likely in person," she explains.

"So? It doesn't mean we shouldn't try." Rivalz says.

* * *

Lelouch sighs as his phone vibrates against the wooden tabletop. It's probably another student from school calling for information-which concerns him, as he has no idea who half of the callers were. Rivalz is probably currently selling his number for fifteen bucks. How troublesome. Of course, it could always be someone else, a reporter asking for a free date to have a meeting with him, however, he'd rather not deal with such people.

So far, he dislikes his temporary room, stored within Clovis's fancy mansion. Too big, he's unable to keep an eye on things. Besides...it's too quiet. No cheerful greeting from his gentle sister, no Sayako asking for directions, no Rivalz shouting as he blows stories out of proportion, no Milly with her mischievous attitude and 'harmless' pranks, no Kallen to try and learn more about him curiously and usually keep him company, no Nina to quietly remind them to be considerate of their volume, no Shirley to constantly entertain him with her stores, no matter how much he pretends to seem bored from them, no Suzaku to join him on a new adventure or just talk about their problems, and even no small pet such as Arthur, to make things less lonely.

He quickly dismisses his dresser, who stumbles out of the room, trailing behind him generous amounts of clothes. He's going to visit his father, and Clovis insists on picking out his attire. His blood runs cold at the thought of seeing his rather powerful father. He clenches the phone, as the person has not yet hang up. Without glancing on the caller ID, he picks up the call. "Hello?"

"Oh yes, Lelouch, I didn't think you were ever going to pick up!" Lelouch hesitates before answering momentarily. "Lelouch?" the person echoes once more, probably worried from his lack of response.

"Rivalz?" Lelouch gasps. Suddenly, an explosion of noises in the back alerts him. "Who else is there?" he chuckles, unable to keep the pleasure out of his voice at the sudden call from his friend. He hopes that Rivalz however, doesn't try and ask questions, after all, there's a good chance that someone's trying to listen in on his conversation, probably a hacker from a radio station. He's heard these things happen before.

"Lulu!" He scoffs, noting the christened nickname that an adorable auburn friend would always call him by. "Thank God that you picked up!" She gasps, as though she's been holding in her breath as the phone rang and he didn't pick up. "Oh I was so worried!" She yelps, expressing her concerns.

"Lelouch, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Rivalz shouts into the receiver, and Lelouch recoils slightly by his bellowing tone.

"Inside voice!" The unmistakable hiss from Nina is picked up by the phone. "Hey, Lelouch, I hope you're doing well-and also, we can't find Nunnally, I hope she's okay." Lelouch doesn't answer.

"Guys...trust me...whatever you hear, she's fine." Lelouch adds in a low voice, hoping that they don't get riled up once Clovis reveals his little lie of Nunnally being picked up by terrorists. "Trust me," he adds in a solemn tone, and everyone on the other end falls silent, probably by his sudden serious tone. "Another question, I left some of my stuff there, please don't let anyone steal them."

"About that..." a sheepish tone chuckles into the receiver, and automatically, Lelouch narrows his retinas, catching the awkwardness of Rivalz's timbre.

"Hey, Lelouch!" Suzaku's voice crackles through the bad reception. After all, this is quite an old phone, but that's so then it's harder to trace. He's always been so cautious. "Rivalz sold half of your things!" Lelouch groans.

"I kind of expected that." a quick apology is shouted into the phone from Rivalz, before shuffling is heard. "What are you doing?"

"Taking the phone away from Rivalz," Milly's voice growls. "And, really, Lelouch, I'm sorry."

"Forget about it, just keep Nunnally safe," he murmurs, hoping that none of his friends are listening to this, well, maybe they are, as it's most likely that they're on speaker and that's how they're able to hear his voice over their shouts. His heart sinks sadly. He'll rarely ever hear their petty arguments again. And this is definitely going to be quite a blow on his whole ordeal as Zero. Then, Lelouch remembers how he still has to visit his father later. He glances up at the clock, cursing once more mentally in his head. Ah, he has to cut this short. "Hey, guys, I have to go, sorry, trust me, don't call me again, let me call you." he whispers quickly. He doesn't want the phone to ring and have someone else pick up the phone and listen to his friends go on about Nunnally by accident. It's a rare chance, but he hopes that the percentage of this happening can be diminished if he orders for only him to call them rather than the other way around.

Lelouch sets his phone back onto the table, and opens the door, where, he raises an eyebrow, where his dresser stumbles forward. "Oh, are you eavesdropping?" Lelouch mutters, and his dresser shakes his head quickly. He shrugs, though it's a Britannian, he cannot help but pity him. After all, he probably expects for him to order him to have his head chopped off. At least, that's something Cornelia and the majority of his large family would probably do. He sighs, and gestures for the dresser to enter, who blinks, and stops trembling in his presence, clearly confused that he's still alive. "Let's get this over with." he adds.

* * *

They stare at the phone from Lelouch's sudden cut off. "What was that?" Rivalz fumes. Of course, he's probably aware that he's being unfair, however, Shirley cannot blame him. She just grabs Milly's phone gloomily, staring at Lelouch's digits, which she had persistently memorized over the course of years after meeting him. She smirks slightly, recalling her disdain towards him, only able to see his outer appearance, arrogant and solemn. However, he piqued her curiosity, and soon, she cannot help but fall for such an interesting person. She snaps Milly's phone shut, her vision beginning to blur from the tears that gloss over her eyes. She blinks them away. Lelouch certainly cannot forget about them. _Oh Lelouch..._

* * *

"So you did live, didn't you?" Lelouch stiffly nods as he peers upwards, as his father's quite the towering man. "Huh," he smirks, and Lelouch bristles, however, he doesn't recoil as his father slowly steps off his throne, and heads in his direction. "You really are some part of me to continue living." Again, Lelouch doesn't answer verbally. However, this seems to piss his commanding father off, and Lelouch flinches by a sudden, sharp, rap on the back, causing him to stare up into the slit eyes of his father. "What happened to Nunnally?" Lelouch slowly parts his lips, licking them, before answering quickly, knowing that if he hesitates for too long, his father will not hold back from 'gently' smacking him in the back once more.

"A group of terrorists took her." He whispers, having to stick with the same lie he told his blonde brother. Charles smirks, flashing his gleaming teeth, as he straightens up, vastly taller and wider when compared to his skinny son, who is around his average height, yet, a midget to contrast his father.

"Ah, well, we have no use for her anyways." He shrugs, and Lelouch's shoulders arches, however, he continues to stand straight, despite the heat flushing through him from the anger. He knows that if he reacts in a bristling manner, he'd be satisfying his father into allowed to label him as a hooligan and horrible from living with Elevens for all throughout these years. He refuses to allow his father to receive pleasure from taunting him, and being even more satisfied if Lelouch responds in an angry manner. "So, what are you going to do? You disowned your throne, while, you can fight to earn the throne, it's quite unlikely." Of course, Schneizel is the most likely choice for throne after his father's currently eldest son. "You can always join the army like Cornelia." Lelouch knows how pathetic it'd seem for him to join the army. He's in no way athletic, with his feminine build, and he's obviously in no way fit for such a grueling process. And he's unwilling to sacrifice his pride and join it, while exposing how horrible he is at fitness. And he cannot go for becoming prime minister, because that means pleasing his father, and besides, he knows that with his current status, he cannot try and compete with Schneizel yet.

"I know for a fact that I'd be useless in the army," Lelouch mutters, and Charles laughs, loudly.

"Of course, but you have the brains. You know what, for now, we'll stay and build up your status, then we'll decide what to do with you. You're clearly not fit for the army." Lelouch hates agreeing with his dad, yet, he plasters on a fake, practiced smile, and nods mindlessly. "Good boy, now go." Lelouch pretends not to feel the large shove on his back from his father's enormous hand.

* * *

"A party?" Lelouch scowls, his voice infused with disdain. Clovis however, seems to be the mere opposite, his eyes gleaming, his blonde curls bobbing as he nods excitedly. "For me?" he confirms, as he continues to read the invite that Clovis sent over to him over email, full of details, for his approval before sending this to just about every other noble. "I don't know..." he says uncertainly, grimacing at the brightly colored invite. Of course Clovis made this, judging by how the background is a shade of lavender.

"We need to make you popular, and right after that, you're going to have an interview, so people can learn more about you!" Clovis proclaims, clearly overflowing with excitement. Lelouch groans aloud, twisting his hands nervously. He hates parties. They always give him huge anxiety, mingling and conversing with other rich nobles. Unless if they're at his school, then he dislikes them. Of course, he wasn't always particularly fond of Milly's extravagant parties. After all, usually it includes him being dressed up. Ah, well, in that case, Lelouch glances over at Clovis. Well, there's really no difference: two excited, extremely bubbly blondes are hosting a party which are well known of, while dressing him up in ridiculous clothes, and flirting with everyone. Wow, there really is little differences between Milly and Clovis. He sighs, he also doesn't feel unease with the both of them.

"Wait," Lelouch turns away from the electronic invite with animated woman and men dancing around the screen. "An interview?"

"With Diethard!" Lelouch groans at the sound of that name. After all, he recently met up with this reporter, right after 'Code Orange', (Code orange, Suzaku was in danger because rather than Clovis dying, it's that he was found with his dead army where Lelouch acquired geass and met with C.C.) however, he knows nothing much about this person other than that he appears randomly whenever he does something. Of course, in reality, his most recent thing was when he decided to save his school from terrorists.

He might not know much about this reporter, but he knows that he's quite popular, famous, and has an obsession with capturing the story of Zero. Lelouch better watch his step around him. "Ried Diethard is one of the bests, and he's quite excited to be working with you. Of course, the party is tomorrow and the interview is the day after that." Clovis exclaims, cutting Lelouch out of his deep thoughts.

"What? Within two days?" Lelouch groans. He almost forgot how exhausting it was to be a prince.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer, I own nothing of Code Geass.

* * *

If looks can kill, this was it. However, Lelouch doesn't find himself splayed out dead across his lawn, so he continues to presume that it wasn't possible. His however, might. Reluctantly, he crawls into the backseat of the limo, and the door slams shut behind him. Clearly, the chauffeur dislikes him, judging by the way he basically crushed the door shut. Perhaps he has a thing against royals who's birth mother was a commoner. How racist.

Lelouch itches in his suit as he buckles himself into the car. He fixates his eyes on the mirror hanging from the front of the car for the chauffeur to inspect him. Momentarily, their eyes clap. and Lelouch finally dismisses the idea of Geassing him and ordering him to crash this sleek, black car. He's not very exuberant about going to his own party that Clovis threw for him. He'd rather not. He slightly regrets not running off with Nunnally, but he has to stay and keep an eye on their process and system, if his father even goes out to look for Nunnally, which is slightly skeptical. However, Lelouch doesn't doubt that his father would go find Nunnally just to annoy Lelouch, he probably even has a suspicion that Lelouch might be lying about Nunnally's whereabouts or episode with terrorists.

The drive was short, and as the limo pulls up at the glistening gates that surround a rather large front yard with grass, which the green seems too bright and artificial in Lelouch's opinion, that leads up to a towering mansion, perhaps even slightly bigger than Clovis'. He sighs, as the chauffeur opens the door, and finally, he steps out. The limo drives off, leaving Lelouch behind to stand there. Technically, he's sure that the chauffeur is supposed to stay behind and wait until Lelouch enters the building, however, perhaps he thought Lelouch was ignorant upon the basic courtesy rules that remained unspoken, as one with common sense can think about this. However, Lelouch is quite pleased he left, as he didn't want to keep the chauffeur waiting, as Lelouch remains standing there, unsure whether or not he really wants to enter.

He finally forces himself to creak open the golden gates, and begins to walk towards the mansion. The closer the distance between them, he's able to hear muffled music and distant shouts from inside. He hesitates. He's unsure whether or not he wants to enter through the front door. It'd certainly draw attention to himself. Rather, he'd just appear inside without anyone noticing him, it'd probably make him feel better, knowing that half the people inside wouldn't be aware of his existence at that moment. He shoves the two large doors open, and to his horror, their hinges mustn't been oiled daily, as a large screech echoes as the door opens. He doesn't want to yawn out the creaks, as it'd take forever, so he just opens the door.

The music continues to pound, however, nobody's dancing. Rather, they're focused on the figure that just walked in. "Dear brother!" Clovis shouts, thrusting out his hands to his sides as though for an added flair. Lelouch cringes, however, remains passive, as Clovis basically drawn everyone's attention towards them. He politely hugs Lelouch, and quite hesitantly, he pats Clovis on the back. "Come, join your party!" Clovis exclaims, and Lelouch resists running as he drags him throughout the party.

Lelouch was sure he invited his student council friends from back in Ashford Academy, however, he doesn't see them. Then again, there are numerous amounts of people, so perhaps they were here, and are waiting for a moment when Clovis finally leaves his side to talk with him. "This is Lady Evelynn," Lelouch stiffly bows at the woman in front of her, who's probably younger, judging by her height. Then again, he's rather tall, so maybe she's just short from his point of view. The brunette flushes at his presence, and Lelouch clamps his mouth shut, refusing to allowed a scoff to escape.

* * *

"Is this the right place?" Rivalz groans. Kallen rolls her eyes. Such a fumbling idiot. She clenches the sides of her dress, tugging it up, so that she doesn't trip over the flowing edges. She hates this dress, unfortunately, Ohgi mentioned how this could be an opportunity for her to get intel on Clovis or Lelouch. She hates this dress. It's too revealing, in her opinion, however, she didn't have another fashionable item to wear to such a formal party, and Milly's the one with all these sparkling outfits, and Kallen doesn't feel as though it's right to insult the dress of the person who's allowing you to borrow one.

"No, of course it is, look!" Milly snaps, pointing a manicured finger towards the large mansion. "You can hear music all the way from here!" she claims. Kallen falls silent, concentrating. She's right. Unfortunately. Kallen half-heartedly hoped for them to appear at the wrong place, so they sadly cannot make it. She doesn't feel like celebrating the return of a Britannian Prince. However, Kallen cannot settle her feelings about this particular subject, after all, she's unsure whether or not to pity or despise Lelouch. Judging Milly's words, it seems as though he's rather reluctant to return, however, his arrogant nature and the way he slacks off on every class and yet not fail makes him seem to take things for granted, like a real noble. "This is definitely the place," Milly states, readjusting her dress so that it'd fit her shape more.

Kallen has a feeling that Milly chosen out this periwinkle dress because it coordinates with her eyes. She begins to fantasize what'd happen if she gouged out Milly's eyes-then how would she pick her dresses in color scheme? The only person who seems excited about this is Milly. Even Shirley seems slightly nervous, and uncomfortable in her outfit. Kallen doesn't doubt that Milly chose her dress, after all, it's also very revealing near the top. She scowls. Nina's probably the most modest female by this point, wearing scruffy flats and a nice, scarlet dress. Kallen seriously wonders why she couldn't just pretend to be sick.

"Do you think Lelouch arrived yet?" Rivalz tries to converse with them as they walk towards the mansion. Milly seems to have the most trouble, as her heels are sinking into the soft soil of the flourishing yard. Kallen has to admire the vegetation, however; no matter how much she already hates this whole area, those flowers are quite beautiful.

"Of course he has, it's his party," Shirley chirps, also struggling to walk in the champagne hued dress that stretches across her whole frame. Kallen is suddenly quite pleased and grateful that Milly chose an outfit where the actual skirt flares from her hips, so that she may run if she has to. She's also glad she refused to allow Milly to do just about anything with her hair, as the bun Shirley's sporting seems rather tight. They open the door, revealing masts of dancing nobles, or just small groups.

"Whoa!" Rivalz gasps aloud.

"Where's Lulu?" Shirley murmurs, and Kallen cringes, but thankfully, nobody else heard that over the blaring music and continuous chattering.

"Hm, it's quite loud, isn't it?" Milly's mouth knots in distaste. _Like you're never loud_ , a thought surfaces in Milly's mind, and she resists smirking. "Well, I guess we might as well look for Lelouch. It's bound that he's here by now, as nobody looked at us when we entered an hour later after the party started, so that means the guest of honor must've already arrived." she explains. Kallen blinks. For once, her explanation is logical. Kallen shivers at the sight of men nearby, cornering woman in an attempt to seduce them, or the dancing couples who seem too close in Kallen's opinion. She's sure to stay near Shirley and Milly. She might consider herself as a powerful woman, but she's way out of her comfortable range, and besides, power and comfort in numbers. Nina must've been thinking the same two, as she's literally clinging onto the hem of Milly's dress.

"Uh, can we go into the corner? Everyone here are either a higher status or way older than us, there's not much people around our age," Rivalz hisses, keeping his voice low. Kallen nods furiously, agreeing with that. Her hatred for Lelouch increases, for inviting them to such a place. To her surprise, even Milly agrees with Rivalz's idea, which usually never happen, however, having a glance at her visage and expression, she seems slightly uncomfortable and nervous.

"I'll get refreshments," Shirley offers, after finding a rather secluded corner of the dance hall, all of them leaning against the wall, basically squished together, as though they can meld or camouflage into the wooden wallpaper behind them. Kallen wishes.

"No, I should," Rivalz offers quickly. It'd be foolish to allow Shirley to go alone. They'd most likely loose her in this vast area, anyways.

"Yeah, Shirley," Kallen whispers. "Let him, he's disposable." she's pleased as Milly snickers, Rivalz throws a furious and startled glare in her direction, how Shirley smiles widely at her comment, and even a small grin graces Nina's pale visage.

Her one comment almost makes them feel like it's another normal day, back at Ashford Academy.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer I do not own Code Geass.

* * *

Grimacing, he flinches slightly as the orchid liquid splatters across his suit. The chattering guests of his ball party quickly extinguishes into hisses, as everyone turns to the horrifying scene; Kallen, currently gripping tightly on a wrist of a drunk man, her knuckles flushed red, with Shirley clutching Kallen's other hand to prevent her from driving a butter knife straight into the vein of the man. Rivalz, a bystander of the situation, hoping to actually be of some help, holding a glistening wine glass, possibly decided to foolishly splash the wine towards the drunken man, hoping to alert his attention of a possible life-threatening situation. _Ah, who am I kidding-anything with an angry Kallen is life-threatening._ However, no matter how amusing Lelouch finds it for the intoxicated man to be sopping wet and drenched in wine, Lelouch can't have a fight break out during his party. So instead, he sacrifices his suit for the peace of his party. Of course, it wasn't like he was particularly fond of his attire either way-and honestly, Lelouch would pay to witness the expression of horror paint Clovis's visage, and this, is one way to do it, with benefits. The reason why it's beneficial is because this outfit is made entirely out of silk and expensive material, meaning that it's ruined forever and this stain of purple on his outfit will never come out. Thank you, Rivalz.

"Lelouch!" Rivalz stammers, terror and horror contorting upon his face. Lelouch inhales sharply, wincing once again. A collective gasp sounds throughout the crowd, echoing in the vast ballroom. Rivalz doesn't seem to understand the damage he made, other than splashing wine across a prince. Even Kallen seems to realize Rivalz's mistake, as her hand lowers into Shirley's loose grasp. Lelouch only glimpsed at Shirley, but already, her dilated jade eyes seem to find its way to burn themselves into his mind. Her viridescent eyes aren't filled with betrayal, regret, or hurt...but rather...hope. She hoped that he'll continue to be friends with them. Ignoring her pointed glare, he instead turns to Kallen, who glowers in indignation. Ouch. While Shirley is quite faithful, it's clear that Kallen labeled and pinned him down as a traitor and she is quite the pessimist. A squeak alerts Lelouch, bringing Nina to his attention, who's flushing underneath the golden light beaming from the chandeliers. Her skin is blossoming scarlet, and she inches behind Milly, who continues to stand upright and stiff, her spine rigid as she coldly observes the scene as though she's trying to blend in with the rest of the haughty subjects, as though pretending she has no part with Rivalz and Lelouch. How typical of her.

"Quiet," Lelouch snaps, realizing they're waiting for an answer. Rivalz cowers underneath his glare, and Lelouch inwardly smirks. No wonder Milly loves tormenting them. Said woman clicks up in her heels, daintily holding out a napkin. While Lelouch is quite sure the napkin-especially at such a small proportion, is no use to him, he takes it out of kindness, acknowledging her with a sharp nod. Milly grins slightly, her smile wavering, as though unsure and nervous at his sudden appearance. Then, a flurry of purple causes Lelouch's knees to buckle, and he's ready to skirt out of the room, if not for amount of people who packed in copious groups around them, blocking off any possible exit. Clovis squirms through the thick crowd of surrounding people.

"Lelouch!" Clovis gasps theatrically, and Lelouch sighs visibly, his shoulders lowering at his respiring breath. It's honestly not that big of a deal. "Your outfit!" Resisting the temptation of rolling his eyes, he remains passive, his expression neutral and blank of emotions. "What happened?" Then Clovis sends a withering glare in the direction of Rivalz, who continued to hold the empty wine glass, and in response, the navy-haired boy lowers his eyes sheepishly. "Kick them out." Clovis hisses. "Whoever was an offender of this situation, must be removed off these premises."

"Dear Brother," Lelouch speaks out, cautious to keep his voice lower, he's not quite fond of using a loud volume in such a room, as his voice will echo. "I assure you, they're my friends."

"Friends?" Clovis pouts, resembling the process he would do when he was a child, before throwing a tantrum. Lelouch cannot prevent himself from rolling his eyes, and Clovis glares harshly in reply, clearly warning him to watch his attitude. What a hypocrite. "These are your invited guests?" Clovis scoffs quietly. For a response, Lelouch just narrows his eyes in a threatening manner. "Your friend is stabbing one of our guests!" Oh. Right. Lelouch slowly whirls over on the redundant heels attached to the soles of his shoes, turning to his strawberry-haired friend, who quickly releases the knife, which clatters onto the polished ground loudly, drawing even more attention, causing Lelouch to cringe within his crisp attire. Sheepishly, she releases her grip upon the wrist of the intoxicated man. Lelouch is still unsure whether or not the man has fathomed the current situation. Said man collapses onto the floor after being released from Kallen's support, his spine crashing into the banister behind him. Apparently not.

"Yes, they're my friends, Clovis," Lelouch repeats, slowing his words, as though he's talking to an imbecile-which technically, he is.

"Well...at least let us change your outfit, you can't go dancing like that!"

 _I didn't plan on dancing anyways,_ however, he just nods in response. "I'll be up in my chambers. And ah, I'd like to have a conversation with my friends," Lelouch dips his head slightly for show. Clovis knots his lips in distaste. "After all, they need a proper talking to." he adds hurriedly, and Clovis beams, nodding in approval. "Now, come along," he gestures for his friends to follow.

* * *

Milly leaps out of the way the moment Lelouch crashes onto the bed, curling up within the lush sheets, hugging a pillow towards his chest. How unsightly, Milly is sure that in other situations Lelouch would never perform such an action. Then, even more shocking, he emits a loud groan of frustration, something that Milly is quite an expert upon. After all, she's usually the one to begin to rage in the student council room, groaning as she tears apart stacks of paper, and usually, she directs them towards Lelouch, because he didn't show up for the third time in the row for a meeting. "I am so glad I stepped in to intercept the wine." he feebly rasps. "I was suffocating in the ballroom."

"Of course you did," Suzaku snickers.

"Oh, so...you're not mad?" Milly steps aside, revealing Rivalz, who seemingly was hiding behind her, clearly trying to avoid his friend's wrath. However, Lelouch makes no attempt to leave the comforts of his bed. "At all?"

"Can we just lock the door and jump out the window?" Lelouch suggests.

"Oh, I'll push you out!" Kallen chirrups in her gentle yet articulated tone. "You can go first!" she smiles widely. Suzaku, who seated himself beside her, quickly lifts his chin which he rested on his knuckles, and he quickly turns to her, with a startled expression. Milly's also finds Kallen's sudden harsh demeanor quite odd as well. After all, Kallen's attitude usually resembles Nina's, both are timid, shy, and rather feeble. However, this is a new side of her-sadistic, mocking and tauntingly energetic, along with trying to shank an intoxicated noble, which is quite contradictory to her regular self.

"Aw, that's so kind of you," Milly mutters. "What the hell happened to you back there?" she drops her cheerful demeanor, flaring up. "You nearly stabbed a guy in the hand!" she bellows. Milly sighs as Kallen shrugs, showing absolutely no remorse for attempted murder. Of course, it's not as though she stabbed him in a vital organ, but if looks could kill, Milly's sure that the man would be long dead from her frightening glare. "No, I mean, you just did it without hesitation! Like you do this all the time!" she sputters.

"My brother taught me," Kallen replies flatly. "Can we just stay up here?" she adds, twisting the subject, entering into a whole other topic. "I mean, I really can't dance, and I don't like being too much around people." Then, as though to amp up the concern and reasons, she adds, "And I'm feeling rather sick." she wheezes, coughing into a fist. Milly rolls her eyes-Lelouch always attempted to skip school, pretending to cough into his elbow the first few months of school, before he grew to realize that he doesn't even need a proper excuse anymore-he just left without bothering to leave an explanation. Kallen, despite her quite believable feeble wheezing coughs, Milly can distinguish real and fake coughs. It's clear she's pulling a little stunt in hopes of not wanting to go back down into the ballroom.

"Do you have real food? All they have down there are fancy little glasses of alcohol and weird snacks," Kallen wrinkles her nose.

"I know right," Suzaku mumbles. "Oi, Lelouch, do you happen to have snacks up here?"

Ignoring them, Milly begins to observe her reflection within Lelouch's glistening mirror, and readjusts her strap, as she flicks a long manicured nail near her mascara, touching it up. "Milly, stop inspecting yourself and get over here!" Scoffing, she continues to comb her blonde ringlets to the side, before returning to Lelouch's bed, where everyone seems to lounge about. "You know," Rivalz begins, creasing his suit as he seats himself on Lelouch's bed. Milly shamelessly flops onto the bed, giggling as she sinks deep into the mattress.

"Whoa!" she chortles, bouncing her weight upon the noiseless mattress, as she yanks the blanket out from underneath Lelouch, nestling herself into the ivory sheets. "It's so comfy," she purrs in delight, as heat and comfort wraps around her. "I am never leaving." Then, a familiar visage appears in front of her, with long flowing strands of hair fanning across the blanket. "Mine," Milly hisses, jerking the blanket she cocooned herself within away from Shirley, who scoffs, and sits upright.

* * *

Shirley figures that if Lelouch is willing to trust them enough to invite them into his personal room, where most nobles would be rather cautious about, as some 'acquaintances' are the type to plant bugs or other dangerous entities within their chamber.

"So, Lulu," Shirley pauses, waiting to see if Lelouch would express displeasure for her inappropriate use of his name, or just not react at all, meaning he doesn't find it uncommon. "Did you make any new friends?" she inquires rather innocently. _And are you going to replace us with them?_ A scoff alerts his attention, to find Rivalz perched on the edge of his large bed, dangling his legs, tapping his heels against the wooden skeletal frame of the bed to a steady beat.

"Lelouch isn't social enough to make friends within a couple days." Rivalz snorts. Lelouch sits up in a sudden, startling Shirley and she recoils, and he bats his friend with the pillow within his clutches. "Okay!" Rivalz giggles as Lelouch continues to mercilessly beat his friend with the feather-filled pillow. Suzaku snorts, leaping out of the way, however, is still within the range of hitting distance, and Shirley winces, giggling, as when Rivalz hooked back his arm, and the pillow smacks him in the face.

And all of a sudden, a soft objects mold across Shirley's own face, and she shrieks, flopping backwards onto the cushioned bed, before straightening herself back up, blinking, to find Rivalz and Lelouch, both seemingly frozen, with Rivalz limply holding a pillow in his tan hands. Shirley, smirking, finding a point where finally, she can play with her friends once more, snags a pillow beside her, and using her arms which are toned from all her swimming classes, she nails Rivalz straight in the head with the pillow. "Oh I see how it is-" Before Rivalz can avenge himself and his dignity for being slapped in the face with a pillow-from one of the nicest girls he know-a small cough alerts the three of them.

"Um, Lelouch?" a timid voice alarms the three of them, after all, they're not accustomed to hearing her voice, so to hear such a shy timbre all of a sudden is quite startling. Shirley turns to Nina, who's sitting with crossed legs, leaning against the headboard engraved with intricate illustrations. "Do you...think you can get Princess Euphemia to meet with us?" Shirley muffles a snort blending with a scoff, after all, it's all Nina ever mentions. Shirley's starting to wonder whether or not Nina is more excited to see Euphemia or Lelouch, and if talking to Lelouch about this is the only reason she came...actually, now that this idea resurfaced within Shirley's mind, she's pretty sure that Nina is concocting a plan to use Lelouch's status to her advantage to see Euphemia. Shirley purses her lips at that, refusing to grimace-actually, that's quite a dirty low-handed move on Nina's part if it's true.

Lelouch blinks, his eyebrows puckering together in confusion. "Uh, yeah, sure," he answers to such an odd question. "I'm pretty sure that Euphie would be glad to do so." he shrugs.

"Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku hums. Lelouch turns to him, his eyes glistening. Shirley, with years of practice of reading her passive, neutral-expression friend, can tell just by the glistening, amethyst retinas, the way they seem to shine like polished marbles and how a twitch of his lips cause them to curl upwards into a smirk, informs her that he knows something. _What do you know, Lulu?_ Suzaku seems completely oblivious to his change of expression, however.

"Euphie?" Nina chirps, her eyes glassy, as though she's not really here anymore. "Did you make any new friends?" she inquires rather innocently. _And are you going to replace us with them?_ and I'll be able to call her that." By now, Shirley has a feeling that Nina's coming on too strong-after all, Lelouch probably labeled her as 'obsessed' with his little sister. She cringes at that, after all, that sounds quite uncanny.

"Anyways," Rivalz clears his throat dramatically. "I'm going to beat you!" Shirley shrieks as Rivalz approaches, slamming down next to her and whacking her with a pillow.

* * *

"I'm sure he'll come right out any time now," Clovis reassures. Sighing, Clovis silently brews his fuming anger, and glares upwards, towards the banister that surrounds the inside of the ballroom, where down one of the hallways it should lead to his dear brother's chamber. It's been about half an hour, and said brother have not yet return. How irritating. He bitterly sips his drink. It shouldn't take that long to reprehend his friends and find a new attire. Perhaps Lelouch is unaware of how many guests are waiting for his reappearance. And his friends...yes, while his friends are clearly not Elevens, and he even recognizes one of the girls, with her silky, neatly trimmed ginger hair that he walked with on her school grounds, they're not fit to have close relations with a prince. Then there's one of the males-the brunette. If he recalls correctly, he interfered with their small project and now...he pinches the handle of his glass wine's handle tighter. And he was even placed upon trial for committing a crime, after Clovis accused him of helping the Elevens. He needed something to distract his father while he desperately tried to salvage his own hide by using this boy to create more time for him to concoct a plan. So far, Clovis has not yet created a plan to replace the project. The girl is gone.

The other male isn't any better, perhaps even higher, as the toffee-haired male should be disgraced. However, this one's a klutz, and soon, people will find Lelouch quite strange for being friends with such a clumsy man, and perhaps, lower their respect for him. He has to find a way to cut off all connections from Lelouch and the two men, and with his female friends. The females aren't as bad-Clovis admits, after all, they didn't just wet one of his guests with an alcoholic drink. Then again, this wouldn't have happened if the strawberry-pink haired girl didn't press the serrated edge of a butter knife against the bony wrist of said guest. Yeah, no, that feisty girl has to go.

How complicated. Clovis sets down the drink. Might as well herd himself downstairs, preferably with his friends trapped inside the room and unable to continue and attend the ball. Sighing, he shoves the chair back, and the bottom of the legs scrape across the tiled floor. Is this how its' always going to be-him cleaning up after Lelouch? Apparently so. He heads towards the door of Lelouch's room.

* * *

So. I do not have any pairings in mind yet, despite this being like the fourth, fifth or sixth chapter because I am as romantic as a dead fish, and also because there was really no real couple between Lelouch and anyone. I'm even open with Suzaku and Lelouch. Why? Because I really...really have no idea.

So if you have a pairing in mind, just please tell me. I'll see which pairing is mostly liked and probably use it.

Or more likely, I'll just ignore it because I still can't be romantic.


	9. Chapter 9

Yeah. I've been gone for a long time.

So Hello.

I know that you want to kill me.

And before you do, I just want to say t-

* * *

Only two nights for him to adjust into the Britannian life, which is, you can get assassinated any two minutes. Can he not get any sleep? It seems only a couple hours passed in his bed before the sound of gunshots awoke him. _It's too early for this_ , a thought surfaces in Lelouch's head, as he slowly makes his way down the stairs of his newly give home that's located beside Clovis', to find the majority of windows of his living room shatter, the fragments of jagged glass littered over his lush carpet, implying that the assassin came in through the window. Did he break the window? That would be a crude idea. Already, a maid is doing her best to clean up the mess the assassin managed to leave behind. "So I assume you're sent here to kill me?" Lelouch asks dryly, inclining his head for an effect. "Loosen you grip, soldier. I want to hear what he says," the guard that managed to take down the assassin successfully before reaching Lelouch's room releases the pressure on his foot, which is planted firmly on the assassin's back. Lelouch crouches down, yet, the assassin doesn't clap eyes with him. He scowls, and the soldier, in a sudden, snaps the man's head upwards, so that he meets Lelouch's eye. Lelouch nods in acknowledgement towards the soldier, before returning his attention to fixate on the assassin. "Who sent you?" he would use his Geass, which would certainly ease the work, however, if the guards notice, while they're loyal to him, even the oddest things would be spread around the staff, and within a couple days, it'll be a bonfire. So basically, Lelouch has to watch himself cautiously, he cannot even invite a friend without one questioning his actions, as one will definitely twist the truth for juicier gossip.

"He asked you a question," the soldier kicks the assassin. Lelouch holds a hand out, and the soldier resists from shoving his steel-toed boots into the ribs of the defeated man.

"I want to know, why did you come through the window?" Then, realization strikes him. As though knowing that Lelouch figured it out, the man spares a glance upwards, revealing a sinister smirk that curls upon his visage. Lelouch refuses to express anger towards the man. He didn't lose. The assassin accomplished his mission. So instead, Lelouch smiles back, snickering even, before complimenting the man with a simple word that he normally would never use, "Touché." After all, whoever sent this man is clearly clever with his work. A dark thought settles in the back of Lelouch's mind, as he commands for the guard to simply throw him into prison, while the normal punishment is death. He ignores the startled expression of the soldier, and the leer that crosses the assassin's features. They probably think he's stupid for allowing the man to live, too out of touch with reality, softened, they're probably thinking. Well, Lelouch doesn't care. All he's worrying about is who would do such a thing, actually, no, he can think of many people who probably has the ambition to knock him out of the game for claiming the throne. However, nobody would think that he'd be a successor of the throne because of his background, and besides, not many people think that he'd gain enough followers that'd want him to have the throne before his father passes. Majority of people would believe it'd be Schneizel. And that said man is who'd think every thing through. Including the slim chance that Lelouch would do something unpredictable, he'd knock him out. Schneizel is the only one who'd think that Lelouch would become a threat, or even consider the possibility. And it's not foolish of him to think so.

Schneizel sent an assassin, and he accomplished his mission. While assassins being sent aren't fairly common, but also unheard of, it'd scare people to know that already, Lelouch is being attacked. In other words, Lelouch predicts that tomorrow night, another killer is to be sent to his house. Schneizel is going to send who knows how many assassins to his house, before finally, it scares the noble how one person could hold such hatred against him, that finally, they'd move Lelouch. And Lelouch bets that Schneizel would have a say on moving Lelouch to who knows where.

At least, that's what Lelouch learned. In reality, this could be anyone. No. Perhaps he's overthinking this. He mentally chides himself, after all, he's just being paranoid. Then, before he can daze into unconsciousness between his feathery covers, he realizes something-the soldier...resembled a lot like Kallen, however, it clearly wasn't a female.

* * *

"Clovis, no," Lelouch practically snaps. However, he won't bend as low as pleading-his pride and dignity refuses to allow him to resort to begging. "I won't," so instead, he inclined to the idea of commanding any word along the lines of 'no'. Lelouch, while he can challenge, gamble and demand anything as long as his smarts are included, however, this is different. Of course he won't admit that he's nervous about the fact that he's going to talk to a reporter who will basically broadcast all of this all over the world, after all, he's a prince who was in hiding and thought to be dead, of course they'd be interested in him. He's also not exactly shy, but he knows that every eye behind the camera, everyone who's going to watch this live broadcast, will be silently judging him. Even worse, this is a _live_ broadcast. Not exactly reassuring.

"Lelouch, people are curious, I'm rather jealous of your sudden fame," Clovis winks, his long lashes curling upwards as he does so.

"Well, if you want it so badly, why don't you just take this even instead of me?" Rather than verbally answering, his blonde brother shoves him towards the door, where the reporters are already set up. Lelouch sighs, slouching for a moment, before straightening his spine. He doesn't care about making a good impression, however, he doesn't want to seem like a slob. He grips the metal doorknob, and before thrusting open the door, he turns to Clovis, and narrows his eyes. In reply, Clovis just grins innocently, revealing his rows of perfect teeth. Scowling and grinding his teeth, Lelouch opens the door, and steps in, revealing a bustling group, with a man shouting orders. Diethard. At least Lelouch will feel slightly comfortable with him-he had about a couple run ins with the blonde reporter as Zero. Of course, it's not as though they know each other personally, but at least Lelouch won't feel as though he's talking to a total stranger, who won't support his idea of that he's no superior than anyone else. Diethard at least seems to have a fair opinion about the elevens, judging by the way he's following him wherever he goes as Zero, that or maybe he just wants the story of the year.

Nobody seems to notice him, as they're all too hustled into their own work. Feeling rather out of place and slightly awkward, Lelouch sidles beside Diethard, who's basically the one barking orders and commands. "People, he'll be here anytime soon, hurry up!" Lelouch stifles a laugh, and remains passive and neutral, straightening his smile into a thin line so that his face seems like a blank canvas. Of course he's slightly amused. If they don't notice him now, maybe they won't acknowledge him for the actual report, and they'll assume he skipped out on them. Too late-"Prince Lelouch?" Lelouch stiffens as Diethard rounds towards him. The shuffling and shouts cease into a quiet, highly uncomfortable atmosphere, which is suffocating Lelouch.

"Yeah," he replies in a confident timbre.

"I'm so sorry!" Diethard begins.

"It's fine," Lelouch intervenes with his words, smiling slightly, to reassure that he's fine with it. However, nobody moves. "Really, it's fine," he says slightly louder. He doesn't want to order them to continue, however it seems as though it's the only way to reassure the workers that they may continue with their job. "You may continue doing whatever you were doing," and as though he punched a play button, the workers around him began to move around once more, the room echoing with bellows, however, Lelouch feels self-conscious. It's as though the others are watching him out the corners of their eyes. Especially Diethard, then again, he is right beside him. "You know," Lelouch begins, lowering the volume of his voice, capturing Diethard's attention. "If you want, we can just not do this whole report thing," Lelouch asks, slightly hopeful.

"Are you not satisfied?"

"No," he responds hurriedly. "It's just...I...I never been on the news before," Lelouch considers whether or not this is a right action, confiding his feelings to a supposed stranger. "It's weird being watched all the time, and to be on television," he cringes without even trying. A laugh sounds beside him, and he turns to Diethard.

"Don't worry, they'll love you. Now, your highness-"

"Just call me Lelouch." Diethard stares at him, as though confused by him. "It's odd being called 'highness'," he explains himself. Lelouch of course, doesn't want to seem too friendly, he doesn't want one to get the idea that he can be taken advantage of.

"Oh-uh, okay. Um, Lelouch," he emphasizes on the name, as though it sounds strange on his tongue. "Can you please position yourself onto the couch," he points at the luxuriously decorated velvet couch, and following his orders, the willowy male settles onto the couch. "Thank you, people, start rolling in two minutes." _Two minutes?_ Lelouch slightly panics at that thought-that's not nearly enough time to start reevaluating his life choice of everything, and escape routes if something goes wrong. "Now hi-Lelouch," the handsome reporter automatically corrects himself. "If you want us to stop, just say the word..." Diethard begins to think. "Fancy, that's going to be our escape word. If you ever feel as though this is too much, or something's going to happen, just say 'fancy', and we'll automatically stop the cameras, got it? Lelouch nods, pleased at that idea. The thought of that word eases the tension simmering in Lelouch's stomach. However, a new situation arises, and that's when he accidentally says 'fancy', giving Diethard the signal when in reality he just meant to use that word.

"Sir, we're live in three, two," the woman behind the camera mouths 'zero', as she counts off her fingers. Automatically, Diethard, beside him on a separate chair, plasters a beaming smile.

"Hello Britannia! This is Ried Diethard here [lel I don't know if I spelled that right], and with our very special guest, the lost but found Prince Lelouch vi Britannia!" Lelouch manages to smile slightly without making it seem uncomfortable. However, other than that, he remains emotionless.

* * *

Shirley stares, captivated by the small screen, with the student council crowded around her. "Now, your Highness, how is it being back here?" Shirley completely disregards the question, as she stares at Lelouch. While he tends to sit upright, he seems rigid, as though defensive even. Except for the small smile in the beginning, his face remains passive and blank. His hands are neatly settled on his lap, and he answers vaguely.

"How was it, living with the elevens?"

"It was fine."

"Fine?" Diethard raises an eyebrow. "Surely there were more emotions than that." Shirley smirks. Once Lelouch answers a question, normally, he wouldn't add anything on to it, and that's all.

"Well, he clearly hasn't changed a bit," Rivalz says dryly from beside Shirley. "That's good, I think," he shrugs in response. "Wait until he gets to Nunnally."

"Nunnally!" Milly suddenly sits upright. "That's right! Don't call her, before she left, Sayako told me to not say anything over mail or phone, the government can intercept it. Apparently, Lelouch made up Nunnally being kidnapped."

Shirley frowns at her statement. It doesn't make clear sense. "Why wouldn't Lelouch want Nunnally to be found? It doesn't make sense, the way he doesn't want to return back to royalty." Of course, she's rather glad he didn't, or else she might've never met him. However, Lelouch, being cunning and smart, would know that it'd be better if he and Nunnally remained in Britannia. "She'd have a better life, being vision impaired and all." she exclaims.

"I heard that Nunnally was banished because she couldn't see. And Lelouch followed. But they were thought to be dead, the way that they disappeared without a trace," Milly begins. Of course she heard. Now, Shirley is aware that Lelouch and Milly only have a sibling-relationship, however, she cannot resist feeling disgruntled. She's Lelouch's best friend-at least, she's sure that he considers her so. He didn't trust her enough with such information? Yes, she's also rather disappointed and slightly furious that Lelouch also happened to 'overlook' telling them about his royalty background, however, Lelouch was never the type to share such information.

"So, Prince Lelouch, what about your sister?" And just like that, even the most unobservant viewers can notice how the straightened posture of Lelouch suddenly arches, his head tilting sharply, and the ways his eyes dilate. His shoulders rack upwards, implying that he sharply inhaled, as though preparing for whatever.

"I...I miss her." While Lelouch's normally husky voice is confident and a decent volume, it's now below a whisper, that Shirley had to strain her ears to pick up, and the way it rasps...well, even though she's technically not killed by terrorists, it's clear that he misses her dearly. And just that, tugs on her heart strings, contracting her heart.

* * *

Nunnally. Cornelia's glad to at least be returned with one sibling. The way that Lelouch suddenly appeared, picked of the streets by Clovis, nearly caused her to shout at Guilford once he told her the news, believing that he's now just pulling a cruel act, mocking the loss of her brother. And yet...that's really him. Talking to Diethard. Even Euphemia has ceased her chatter, her periwinkle eyes fixated on the large television screen, her hands tightening the clutch on the bowl of dried fruit slices. If Cornelia didn't know her younger sister's lack of physical strength, she would've come to think that judging by the flushed red knuckles and the way Euphemia's fingers are basically latched on the glass bowl, she would've shattered the bowl into fragments from all the tension.

Cornelia slowly places a seaweed chip into her mouth, the flavor lost to her as the majority of her attention is also clapped onto the news report, similar to Euphemia. "Nunnally," the said sister squeaks, her animated tone faded, replaced with concern. "What if she's dead?"

"No, the terrorists will probably keep her for ransom." Then, an image of a familiar masked face resurfaces in her mind, and her jaw locks as she grinds her teeth together. "I bet it's Zero." she hisses. Even though Lelouch claimed that he doubts it's Zero, she cannot help but think so. That sly bastard. She'll wring his neck if she's correct on her accusation for holding Nunnally hostage. She's just a poor, blind girl who lost the ability to use her legs; how could someone be so cruel?

"No, I don't think it's Zero," Euphemia whispers. Cornelia knots her lips, and she returns to paying attention. Euphemia's too naive, believing that goodness is in everyone. Someone such as Zero does not deserve Euphemia's thoughts on kindness. Cornelia knows that it's Zero. It has to be. "He saved me, after all." Oh yeah, that. Cornelia inwardly sighs. She cannot raise a finger against Zero if he even mentions so, because her sister means that much to her, and for him to gracefully return her without a ransom leaves her eternally grateful, despite her not wanting to be. All he has to do is perform one slip-up, she will automatically use it against him.

But for now, she'll just celebrate the return of her long-lost brother.

* * *

I believe I'll just remain no-shipping for Lelouch. Just saying.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.

I know I've been gone for so long

You're welcome. [I know you're willing to kill me. I procrastinate. I'm sorry.]

* * *

"Oh, that was my friend." Lelouch explains hurriedly. He's aware that if he christens Kallen by her name in public, she'll probably be swarmed with even more people than she probably is right now. And that'll result with her punching him the next chance they meet. So instead, he sticks with leaving her name in the shadow. "She's...not the the type you mess with," he explains.

"Ah, and who's this mysterious lady?" Lelouch inwardly groans. In complete honesty, within these past two days, he's ready to scream out all his frustration. He knows that pretty soon, if he's not cautious with his words, such as being too vague, or stammering, rumors will eat him alive. And he's not the type to disregard gossip that floats around him. "Who is she anyways? Nobody gotten a picture of her, from eye-witnesses, she has pink hair and blue eyes."

"She's my friend's girlfriend," Lelouch's visage twitches, flinching slightly, as if he can feel the bruise that Kallen will probably give him for saying that. However, there's no way he's sacrificing himself for her, well, not in this situation at the least. His strawberry-pink haired friend will probably also bury him six-feet underground. Ah, at least Shirley will be there to bury him up and drag him out of the hellhole that Kallen will be sure to place him in.

"Is that so?" Reid laughs. Lelouch nods tightly. While this subject isn't any better, he's willing to answer this rather than return to the topic about his younger sister. It didn't take much effort to make it seem as though he really misses Nunnally, because in reality, he actually does.

* * *

For a whole minute, Milly didn't reply, and Lelouch's concern grows as he wonders if his friend cuts off. After all, he's rather lonely, when she first heard Milly's voice when she picked up on the other end, it caused relief to automatically smooth over his worries, despite her technically starting all of this. But really, anxiety is beginning to wear him down, as panorama of always being watched, unable to do his things without others observing him underneath a vague gaze, he really needed comfort. So he called Milly, despite the risk of people listening in. Actually, no, it's not even a risk, it's a fact. So he keeps his words vague, being sure to only drop hints of wanting to come back rather than actually discussing it aloud.

"You know," the familiar voice finally replies, exhausting Lelouch's frustration. "There's this date...just in two weeks, the School Festival is coming, wanna come? We're planning to create a giant pizza," her voice is animated and joyful as usual. Lelouch chuckles lightly. "You coming?" a hopeful voice questions.

"I'll be sure to clear everything on my schedule, trust me," Lelouch knows how reckless it is to make such a promise, but he does anyways. "I'll be there." he vows. How cruel, if a special meeting was to pop up at the exact same day the School Festival is taking place. It'll mean he has to miss the event.

Oh well, he never cared for meetings anyways.

* * *

The girl seemingly fell out of the sky. This was...highly unexpected. However, he greets the girl with a smile, as this 'Euphie' begins to drag him around the entire city, pausing every once in awhile to greet random civilians or staring longingly at the birds, and at which she'd hold out her finger rigidly, only to be disappointed as the bird refuses to land on her gloved finger and flutters off-only to bounce back to her bubbly aura once more. As the girl continues to skip along the roads, every once in a while, she'd push up her tinted glasses, before dashing off with a hand on her hat ahead, to wait for Suzaku to follow her.

What an interesting day.

* * *

[Are we going to skip the episode of 'Attack on Cornelia', why, because I'm lazy and really want to write this part.] [I am also aware that in the episode, it didn't really go like this, but oh well, this is my story, so I'm going to fudge a lot of things].

Devising this strategy last minute, he orders for his team to rush towards the building. HIs friends, the ones that are close enough for one to call them family, are trapped in there. Cornelia may try and save the overrun building, but he knows his sister. While passionate and fierce, she's too rash-one of those think before she acts, people. So instead, he forms his own plan to try and recover the taken building.

He scoffs, spitting to the side, disregarding how improper and disgusting it is for him to do so. How arrogant of those terrorists. There's no pride in taking over a hotel building without any other motivation or intention behind doing so. Are they that weak that they feel successful in managing to take over a school building? Or are they just plain jealous of his stand? If the latter is true, then Lelouch is ready to label them as childish.

How pathetic.

"Q1, don't lose sight," he snaps into the walkie-talkie, not expecting a response, but the said woman replies through the speaker, her voice fuzzy and crackling, feeble over the loud surroundings he's located in.

" _Got it."_

Lelouch sighs, actually rather calm about this. After all, Kallen, while she does dislike Britannians, he can tell, he can see how the others had soften her, how she actually grown to like the student council despite her morals saying otherwise. So he trusts her in having the desperation and persistence to try and save her classmates. Everything's going well. Until they reveal that trapped within their building-is Princess Euphemia. He mentally slams his forehead against the dashboard of the Knightmare he's placed within.

* * *

Is she frightened? Severely. However, she cannot allow them to harm the classmates, especially the trembling, younger girl she stood up for. She fists her hands, gnawing her bottom lip out of nervousness. It'll be fine. Cornelia will come after her, she's sure of it-her older sister will always be there for her. At that small reassuring, firm thought, she's able to feel slightly at peace. Until the door of the room she's locked within rattles, the doorknob jiggling. She stiffens, her reassurance gone. What will these awful men do? Then, startling her, who enters the room was not the one she expects. "You're Zero, are you not?" she closes her mouth automatically as she realizes she's gawking-it's rude to gaze with such an expression, her sister informed her once when they were younger, when she was staring at one of their father's friends, who wore such a ridiculous, large floppy hat, that she couldn't help but stare.

"So you do know me." he takes a step in, and at that, she feels intimidated. She holds her ground, however, crumpling her lavender dress in her hands. She releases the material, however, not wanting to alert the man that she's feeling rather fearful of him at this point. "You know, I'm really glad you haven't changed at all, Euphemia." he murmurs unexpectedly, and she recoils in her seat. "Now, get out of his building, it'll submerge pretty soon." And just like that, the mysterious man disappears, and Euphemia unconsciously follows him out of the room, only for her focus to return automatically, her breath hitching her lungs, as it seemingly clogs down her vocal cords, emitting a slight, feeble squeak. Rows of men crumpled on the ground, with large puddles of crimson forming underneath them, and it doesn't seem as though they're not stopping at that size, as the pools continue to expand, in other words, they've been killed recently. She whimpers, and Zero rounds to her, stopping. "They suicided, after all, this was a pointless ordeal," and he continues, tracking firm footprints of red as he walks sturdily over the scarlet puddles without hesitation. Euphemia slowly hitches her skirt upwards, being sure to keep it below her ankles however, as she doesn't want anything of hers to be stained with the blood of people. It's not out of her wanting her clothes pristine and clean, it's that she doesn't want to ever wear this attire again, only to be reminded that one day, she had to wash off the blood of dead people. She's not a wasteful person, but she's definitely disposing of these shoes, despite them being one of her favorite pairs. But she knows that she cannot wear these shoes without her mind tracing back to this day.

* * *

"We are the Black Knights, and we fight for justice!" he finishes his sentence, aware of being broadcasted live. This is definitely much more comfortable than him being trapped in a room while having a discussion with Diethard.

Yes, being broadcasted and known right now, for being a terrorist with actual morals, saving a group of kids, while saving a Tokyo settlement with two princess currently at the scene with helicopters swirling above him, with the said settlement currently sinking down into the ground, yes, this is definitely much more in his range of comfort; instead of being in a stuffy, protected room, having a nice, light-hearted conversation with a well-known Britannian, being interrogated kindly.

* * *

Euphemia has been placing a lot of thought into this. Lelouch, the unsuspecting brother who calmly holds discussions with her and is patient while trying to teach her chess, she's ready to label him as the infamous terrorist. Her throat goes dry at the thought of Lelouch being Zero. It can't be, could it? After all, his words seemed out of place for a supposed man who has no personal relationship with her. And for Lelouch to be suddenly found, and seemingly disgruntled at actually being discovered, could it be because it's just being another obstacle of his goal? And could this goal be being Zero? Euphemia is actually rather conscious of what people say she is. Just a tool used for marriage, so that she may connect rivalry territories, just a pretty airhead. She doesn't acknowledge what people whisper around her, they've even gotten so bold, believe she's so oblivious to their words, that they're willing to say it during parties even if she's nearby. She likes to believe that she's smarter than most would believe, and she's wondering if Lelouch would believe she's dumb enough to not put two and two together.

She knows her brother isn't the type to underestimate people, but she cannot blame him if she finds him harmless. As Lelouch slowly places the pawn forward, Euphemia is ready to confirm her suspicions. But not yet; after the naming of her knight.

Euphemia's frustrated about why Cornelia's reluctant of allowing a Japanese boy to become her knight. Thankfully, that was an hour ago, too short of a time period for Cornelia to continue to bicker with her or slyly change her idea or manipulate the names so that she may get another person. Staring into the young boy's jade eyes, she's sure that she chosen the right man.

* * *

" _You promised!"_ The pitch is high enough for Lelouch to toss the phone out the window out of shock. "So, you're absolutely coming, right?" Milly's basically screaming at the other end of the call. Lelouch groans. Already, the news are claiming that Lelouch is going to appear at the Ashford School's little School Festival, which is definitely going to be a nuisance, but Milly must've taken that grunt as confirmation, as that is actually how he'd say 'yes' back then, when he was too stubborn to actually say any words other than an odd noise.

"Actually, I do have a meeting today." he says. The other line goes dead, and his lips twitches slightly, as Milly replies.

"Oh." He can almost envision Milly's happiness shattered. For a moment, he feels guilty. "Well, I guess you can't miss it, so go!"

"I hope you're aware that I have no intention in breaking promises," is all he says. "And by the way, I'm coming in a disguise." he adds, before placing the phone back into its spot, closing the call.

* * *

HAHAHHAH NEXT IS ABOUT THE SCHOOL FESTIVAL, AND THE EUPHEMIA BECOMING A MURDER THING

Of course, if you have other ideas on how you want this to go, just leave a review on how.

 **I know I'm skipping a lot of episodes, but nobody likes long fanfictions, so I'm going to kind of rush through this whole story. Of course, I'll be sure to keep things relatively close on the timeline. And also, I would've mentioned the Mao thing, but I have another idea for him. Trust me, besides, with Mao, there's this moment when he kidnapped Nunnally, which would be impossible at this point.**


End file.
